Bengaluru (IANS) | Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to involve students in the plantation drive in the state capital. While attending a function at Rachanahalli on the occasion of World Environment Day, Shivakumar asked the BBMP to prepare a report on the number of roads in Bengaluru which do not have trees on either side. Local students should be given the responsibility of planting and nurturing saplings. The BBMP should provide them plants and safety nets, Shivakumar said. The plant should be named after the child who plants it and that child should take care of the plant.
Organize a competition among school children on this. They will happily come forward to plant trees and take care of them. We should ensure the growth of trees like we ensure the growth of our children. As I have Bangalore development portfolio, this is my first assignment. BBMP officials should come out with a clear plan on this in a month.
Human life is mixed with nature. The celebration of World Environment Day is only symbolic. We should protect nature everyday, only then nature can be strengthened. Knowingly or unknowingly we are using plastic green mat and celebrating nature.
The Deputy Chief Minister asked the officials of Horticulture Department, Forest Department and BBMP to come up with a permanent plan.
The park should not be developed as a forest, said Shivakumar. Let the parks be parks. Wherever there are no trees, they should be grown. Bangalore is known for its greenery and a plan should be made to increase the greenery in this city.
He underlined that this should be ensured with the participation of private and public entities.
–IANS
