Census of trees not done in the 'Green City'

 Despite the millions of saplings planted in the Bengaluru every year, the temperature does not decrease

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: Another Environment Day is being celebrated in 'Green City' Bengaluru. Hundreds of organisations including government departments are planting lakhs of saplings. However, even after the High Court notice, the census of trees and plants in the city has not yet started.

 Take a census of the trees in the capital Bengaluru, known as the city of gardens, the green city, and make it public- In 2019, the High Court directed the BBMP, to start the enumeration process in three months, but so far only poilet work has been done. The report has been prepared in Eight volumes and the BBMP currently has information on 46,593 trees.

BBMP in collaboration with the Institute of Wood Science and Technology (IWST) has conducted a tree census at a cost of around ₹4 crore. However, it is not comprehensive. Even though the forest officials of BBMP are saying that they will carry out census work in many ways including new technology and app, nothing has been implemented for four years. In the census, there will be all the information about the species of trees, their use and their impact on the environment. Dattatreya T. Devare of Bangalore Environment Trust, who requested the High Court to order the census of trees, informed that this will facilitate the cultivation of saplings in nurseries.

Trees are being axed for development works. There is a law that saplings should be planted and nurtured instead. However, there are no examples of trees being cut down and saplings planted around them when massive works like our metro are done. Showing the record of plantation in outskirts of city or forest area. This is of no use. If a tree is cut for any work, saplings should be planted around it, on the side of the road and nurtured and turned into trees,' he said.

 20 lakh?: 

'Millions of saplings are planted in Bengaluru every year. Especially on the occasion of Environment Day, thousands of organisations including government departments, BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BMRCL also plant saplings. However, the number of trees under BBMP is not more than 20 lakh. Therefore, the temperature of the city continues to rise," said IISc Prof. Ramachandra expressed concern.

 How much is left?: 

On the occasion of 'Environment Day' campaign in the name of ``Koti Vriksha'' and ``Laksha Sasi'', they get publicity that they have planted saplings. However, no one can see how many of those saplings are left next year. There are a lot of people who have propagated by planting saplings in the last five or six years. Although 50% of the saplings remain, the city should have at least 50 lakh trees by this time. In reality it is not. Environmental activist Ramprasad opined that it is not only about planting a sapling, but also about nurturing it and turning it into a tree.

Decision soon for Census: DCF

 The census of plants and trees under BBMP has been carried out in a 'pilot project'. However, the enumeration process has not been done completely. Sarina Sikkaligar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP Forest Division, said that talks have been held with many organisations including GKVK, and after getting permission from the government, the work of enumeration of plants and trees will be carried out.

'Appeal again to the High Court'

 Although the High Court has given an order in 2019, the tree census has not started till now. As per the Tree Preservation Act, census has to be done. However, BBMP officials are not paying attention to this. We have inquired many times. Some reasons are given. Even today the exact plan implementation process has not started. Therefore, we will appeal to the High Court again," said Dattatreya T. Devare of Bengaluru Environment Trust.

 2 trees per house as per Act

 According to the rules of the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, there should be two trees per 222 sq m (2,389 sq ft) residential plot in urban areas. 892 square meters (9,600 square feet) of building-sites should have three, then four trees in area. Industrial and Institutional premises should have 25 trees per hectare.

 "Each person should have eight trees for the environment to be balanced. However, in Bengaluru with a population of 1.30 crore, there is one tree for every seven people. In Chandigarh and Gandhinagar there are four plants per person, in Nashik there are two plants per person,” said Indian Institute of Science Prof. T.V. Ramachandra said.

Details of census conducted by BBMP

 Report; number of trees

 1; 1991

 2; 5454

 3; 3333

 4; 6032

 5; 4176

 6; 8988

 7; 8007

 8; 8612

 ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ...