Just half the saplings planted by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) manage to survive the vagaries of the city. As compared to this, nearly all the saplings planted by the Forest Department manage to survive. Why does this discrepancy arise when the landscape and the climate remain the same?
Contractors to blame
The answer, says a BBMP official, is the lack of experience among their contractors. “These are the same contractors who primarily engage in drain or road works. They have little experience with planting saplings,” said the official, adding that attempts are being made to better monitor their work.
Moreover, the ambition of the civic body may be its undoing. Thousands of saplings spread over a large area are difficult to maintain and monitor, said officials.
BBMP is also trying to emulate the model followed by the Forest Department where smaller plantations are taken up so that monitoring is easier. “We plant a few hundred trees. Our beat personnel can visit them regularly. Dead trees are replaced and problems are solved at the spot,” said Ganesh V., Range Forest Officer (Bengaluru).
Moreover, unlike the BBMP which plants saplings that are barely a few feet in height, the Forest Department chooses saplings that are at least 10 feet tall to increase the chances of survival.
BBMP worse than others
Even the BBMP’s claim may be inflated, said urban conservationist Vijay Nishanth, who estimated the survival rate at just 10%. “BMRCL has planted over 20,000 saplings and the survival rate is 60%. This is on metro land, which is away from pollution or risk of pruning, unlike BBMP planting by the side of the road,” he said.
The experience of other groups also show the importance of maintenance after the plantation drive. Save Whitefield, a social collective, has observed a 90% survival rate among the 2,000 trees planted close to Mandur landfill. “Maintenance has been taken up by the joint team of forest officials and horticulture team of Chaitanya Properties which aided with funds,” said Utkarsh Singh from the collective.
Plantation Drive
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike
Plants 1 lakh saplings annually
Survival rate: 50%
Cost per sapling: ₹492, including maintenance
Expenditure includes metal mesh, saplings
Forest Department
Plants 50,000 saplings annually
Survival rate: 95%
Cost per sapling: ₹300
Expenditure includes bamboo mesh, saplings
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited
21,000 saplings planted in Phase I
Survival rate: 60%
Planted in upcoming townships, parks and on metro land
