40 Per Cent Saplings Planted by BBMP Bangalore died in 10 months
Records show BBMP Bangalore planted about 3 lakh saplings across the city but has no clue on their condition now. The BBMP’s green measures have environmentalists seeing red, with good reason. The civic agency’s huge expenditure on saplings has the hallmark of bad planning and worse execution. The BBMP expenditure on saplings is reflected on the ground, as about 20% of newly planted trees, each in north and south divisions, have been lost due to various reasons.
“Usually, there’s a loss of 5 to 10%. It has become 40% this time. There are various factors for saplings dying — vehicular movement on roads, lack of water,” said officials in BBMP’s horticulture wing.
Normally, it’s impossible for saplings to have such a short shelf-life for they are brought from nurseries. Only lack of proper maintenance could have resulted in their death, say green activists.
N K Gunashekar, town planning committee member in the BBMP council, smelt a scam in this. “The corporation has no clue on the total number of trees or diseased trees in the city. Conducting an annual tree survey is BBMP’s duty as per the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976. BBMP has not done it. Besides, of Rs 5.51 crore listed as expenditure for planting saplings last year, BBMP has released over Rs 3.6 crore to contractors. Records show that Rs 275 has been spent for each sapling. How can tree planting be so expensive? I’ll seek a clarification from the commissioner,” Said Gunashekar.
As per norms, while planting saplings, BBMP must maintain a distance of 20 ft from one tree to another on main roads, but the civic body has failed there too. It has also failed to identify specific kinds of trees that must be planted on main roads and bylanes, alleged Gunashekar.
“Though saplings are free of cost, the rate includes watering the plant, making the pit, tree guard and salary for the watchman. Saplings are hurt when debris and construction material are thrown on footpaths. Building construction is one of the hindrances for growth of saplings.” said M Krishnappa Deputy conservator of forest, north division, BBMP
Records show it planted about 3 lakh saplings across the city, Rs 275 has been spent for each sapling. “Three lakh saplings? Where are they? I’d appreciate BBMP if it has really planted so many. But I’m not sure where it has planted them. To make a pit, the labour cost is not more than Rs 20-30. BBMP has its own earth mover and each such vehicle can create about 70 pits per day and it costs the BBMP only Rs 10 per pit. The maintenance of each sapling costs about Rs 100.” Suresh Heblikar-Environmentalist.
40 Per Cent Saplings died in 10 months, Bangalore, BBMP Bangalore, Saplings, Saplings Planted by BBMP Bangalore
