In the midst of the city losing its green cover, there are some pockets of hope. They appear to be insulated from the problem. Many of these places belong to defence establishments.
And the reason for these areas being visibly greener than others is: tree count. While the BBMP dithers on carrying out a tree survey, defence establishments have been doing this for long.
“All trees on our land are accounted for. We have procedures in place to keep track of how many trees died and how they died, how many were cut and why. We don’t allow cutting of trees without permission from a board. We maintain a ledger for trees. When establishments change every three years, they hand these over (and the responsibility of the trees) to the next unit,” explained a senior official in the Karnataka and Kerala Sub-Area headquarters.
Defence establishments (excluding the air force) are spread across nearly 4,000 acres in the city and its outskirts. These pockets have seen an average increase of close to 8,000 trees per annum. Officials say greenery is incorporated into the landscaping and architecture whenever some construction is undertaken.
“We try to ensure that there is least amount of turbulence when construction is undertaken. We don’t allow old trees to be hacked off just like that. A proposal has to be sent to the board, which sanctions the felling and the agency which is allowed to cut,” he added.
The army is also big on plantation drives, usually carried out just before the monsoon sets in, and in consultation with the Forest Department. Preference is given to two kinds of trees – shade-giving and fruit-bearing. Every year, at least 10,000 saplings are planted on defence land, officials said.
Maintenance
Rainwater harvesting has been adopted in most new constructions while rain water has been collected in some form in older constructions. “This is enough to provide water for the plants and trees when there is no rain,” an official said.
PSUs also set an example
Campuses of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) too are often showcased for their greenery and cleanliness. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), for example, has staff meant specifically for landscaping, gardening and maintenance for each of its divisions, with a General Manager-level official looking after the Facilities Management Division, which covers the horticulture department.
“Recycled water is used for the plants. The senior officers’ conclave on Old Madras Road has a herbal garden,” an HAL spokesperson said.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has an engineering services section that looks after not just construction, but also upkeep of the environment, plantations, water usage and even emissions of gases.
What do they
do right?
Regular tree audits
Stringent rules for felling of trees
Regular plantation drives
Rainwater harvesting to ensure supply of water
