Green cover in Bengaluru. Representative image.
Credit: DH file photo
Bengaluru: A team of individuals from an NGO collaborated with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Karnataka Forest Department in Indiranagar for “Free the Tree: Root of the Matter” campaign. This campaign is aimed at freeing the roots of huge trees lined across the streets to enhance water percolation during the upcoming monsoon.
With reckless concretisation of Bengaluru’s streets, the water percolation processes induced by these trees are often blocked. To boost the percolation process, and in turn recharge the groundwater table, volunteers from iCare Foundation and Jaya Karnataka Janapara Vedike (JKVK) aim towards adopting natural methods of groundwater recharge such as root pruning, air spading and mulching.
“Loosening the tree base pits will soften the soil which will enhance the water percolation capacity,” said B Gunaranjan Shetty, the President of Karnataka Wrestling Association and founding member of JKVK.
Speaking to DH, he said that they have chosen to start the campaign in Indiranagar since it is a mix of both commercial and residential areas and will attract the attention of a large number of people and volunteers to work with them. Soon, the same model will be followed in other parts of the city, he noted.
Adding to it, Purnima Shetty, President of the Bengaluru branch of iCare said that so far they have loosened the base pits of over 60 trees with the help of volunteers and local communities in Indiranagar and will extend the campaign to other parts of Bengaluru.
She said that one pit can harvest approximately 300 to 400 litres of rainwater with moderate rainfall and added that over time, constant monitoring, loosening up of base pits and mulching can percolate thousands of litres of rainwater.
Playback singer Gurukiran Shetty, Indiranagar residents and locals were present.