The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) will plant 25,000 saplings this year as part of its Green Mysuru campaign to increase the green cover and tree density of the city.
This is continuation of ‘’Laksha Vruksha andolana’’ which entailed planting 1 lakh saplings over 4 years. The MUDA Chairman H.V.Rajeev said here on Saturday that last year about 25,000 saplings were distributed and planted and there were plans to make afforestation programmes a people’s movement. The pandemic put a break on it but this year MUDA was involving NGOs and citizens keen to take up planting saplings and also nurture them till the saplings mature into trees. The planting campaign this year will be inaugurated by Veerendra Heggade of Dharmasthala on the KSOU campus on July 13 Wednesday.
The MUDA Chairman said the focus is on developing urban jungles and take up high density plantation in open areas so as to create a forest ecosystem within the city. Within MUDA jurisdiction open spaces, excluding playgrounds, have been identified and saplings will be planted. About 125 parks have been identified for development as urban jungles, he said. The MUDA has also allotted ₹1 crore in its budget for planting the saplings and taking up afforestation.
In a bid to increase the survival rate of the saplings, Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project has been involved and their volunteers and staff will be vested with the responsibility of watering the saplings during summer.
Mr. Rajeev said 50,000 saplings have been planted in the city over the last two years of which 90 per cent have survived and are maturing into trees. Within the city the MUDA has taken up planting the saplings in residential areas and 1 lakh saplings will be planted under the Green Mysuru campaign over four years. The MUDA has taken up greening campaign in residential areas, along the highways within the MUDA limits and in a few parks as well. But the planting of saplings will not stop at 1 lakh saplings and will continue, he added.
The campaign is also being extended beyond Mysuru and NGOs and individuals from neighbouring areas are also being distributed saplings free of cost from the nursery. The thrust is on indigenous species of trees and include Shivani, Atti, Hippe, Honge, Halasu, Nagalingapushpa, Bettada Nelli, Kadubadami, Bevu Mahogany etc.
Mr. Rajeev said that in future it will be imperative for all private layouts to take up saplings before they are issued completion report. In addition, all approach roads to Mysuru coming under MUDA jurisdiction will also be identified for taking up high density planting so as to create an ambience of forest before entering the city. The MUDA will also take up scientific assessment of the extent of geographical area under tree cover or green cover, he added.
MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar and other officials were present.
