Volunteers of the Belagavi-based NGO, The Green Saviours, planted 5,100 trees in 135 minutes here on Sunday. It was part of the group’s efforts to develop a mini forest on the premises of Belagavi Airport at Sambra.
Volunteers, men and women, young and old, from around the city, gathered at daybreak in front of the airport at Sambra. The team of 800 volunteers completed the task within two hours and 15 minutes.
Rajyotsava Award-winning environmentalist Shivaji Kaganikar inaugurated the plantation programme on the airport premises at 7.30 a.m. Afforestation was completed by 9.45 a.m. The plants were placed in three-feet deep pits dug earlier. A majority of plants selected are local species.
Team leader Sameer Malaji said that the NGO will maintain the plants for the next two years.
Airport director Rajesh Kumar Maurya said that the plantation was taken up at the Airport Colony and portions of the terminal building. Inspector-General of Police (Northern Range) Raghavendra Suhas and Police Commissioner Lokesh Kumar participated.
In the last three years, The Green Saviours team has planted more than 20,000 trees in the city. The volunteers take up plantation every Sunday morning.
This week’s activity was taken up in association with the Airport Authority of India (AAI), Rotary Club of Belgaum, Rotary Connects The World, Suryodaya Bank and Dream Fly Aviation and Hospitality Academy.
