BBMP plans massive sapling distribution to foster city's greenery

The BBMP is preparing to distribute 2.5 lakh saplings to citizens, including resident welfare associations (RWAs) and non-profits, to make the city greener.

Sarina Sikkaligar, BBMP’s Deputy Conservator of Forests, stated that the civic body would plant 1 lakh saplings this monsoon.

"We have planted over two lakh saplings. Approximately 90 per cent of these saplings have survived. For those that did not survive, we will plant new saplings in the same spots," she said. She also mentioned that the contractor hired to plant the saplings is responsible for watering them for three years and providing bamboo tree guards.

However, local communities have expressed dissatisfaction with the saplings provided by the BBMP.

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What do RWAs say?

Many RWAs with experience in procuring saplings from the BBMP believe that the civic body should provide tree guards along with the saplings to ensure a higher success rate.

"Tree guards are expensive and not easily available. When we contact the BBMP officers, they make excuses and claim they are out of stock," said Kochu Shankar from the Ramamurthy Nagar Residents' Welfare Association (RWA). "There are approximately 500 cows in our ward, and without tree guards, we are unable to protect the plants from being eaten."

Anupama Kilaru, the team lead of Whitefield Rising, raised another concern. "While the BBMP bears the costs of the saplings, they are ignorant about the sustainability and quality of these saplings. They don't check if a species can actually survive in a particular area. That's why we often see such saplings wither within a few weeks," she said.

The team addressed the issue by selecting quick-growing, hardy trees of local varieties that grow to about 10 feet and are suitable for roadside planting.

Local communities have played a crucial role in nurturing the saplings with water and compost, contributing to the success of the initiative. "We encouraged two communities, Forum and Prestige White Meadows, to plant indigenous varieties of tree saplings. Together, these communities have planted around 20 trees," she added.

The Hagadur ward committee has covered areas around Nallurhalli and Whitefield Main Road, resulting in approximately 800 thriving trees in the area.

As saplings provided by the BBMP are hard to come by, Meenakshi Bharath from the Malleswaram RWA has taken it upon herself to distribute and plant saplings, especially after many trees were cut down near Sankey Tank Road in 2011.

"I take care of my trees," she affirmed when asked about the survival rate of the saplings she planted.