In a city gasping for fresh air, and proposed infrastructure projects triggering angry protests by residents who are standing guard to save the remaining trees, Bengaluru’s civic agency has now thrown up its hands on its responsibility to increase the green cover.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has cited lack of funds as a reason forcing it to cut down on tree plantation this year.
According to officials in the BBMP’s Forest Cell, there is an acute shortage of funds for all activities and tree plantation too will take a hit, unless the civic body releases additional funds.
Usually the plantation is done in May-June every year, but this year, there was a delay owing to elections and lack of funds, BBMP officials said. This time, the plan was to plant 75,000 saplings, which would cost around ₹5 crore. However, they have only ₹2.5 crore. Planting and maintaining each tree costs about ₹600, they said.
In addition, they had decided to plant about two lakh saplings on the premises of various institutions, but this plan too may be put on hold as there are no funds.
The fund shortage might even affect tree pruning and nursery maintenance. There are four nurseries managed by the BBMP from where saplings are sourced. They have funds of ₹1.28 crores whereas they require double this amount. For tree pruning, they have ₹3 crores in place of the ₹7.93 crores required, officials in the Forest Cell said.
Focus on periphery
Tenders for the plantation drive were invited recently and the BBMP hopes to take forward the plantation in about a month's time. “As the city receives intermittent rains, there should be no problem in planting the saplings now,” said Cholarajappa, DCFO, BBMP.
The focus would be on the outskirts, he said. “We are planning to plant 5,000 saplings each in South, West and East divisions. The rest, we want to reserve for localities in the periphery of the city where there is scanty green cover.”
Retired forest official S.G. Neginhal said the BBMP should also look into the saplings that have not survived in core areas. “They may have planted several saplings over three years out of which many would not have survived. These have to be replaced. Also, in the core areas, lot of tree felling is taking place. Officials should ensure that these are accounted for,” he said.
Tree survey?
Last year, the BBMP had planted one lakh saplings. However, there is no data available on the number that have survived. In fact, there is no estimate of the total number of trees in the city. While the Forest Cell is in talks with the State Forest Department to launch a tree survey, it is unlikely to happen until more funds are released.
Leo Saldanha from the Environment Support Group said the BBMP cannot afford to keep giving excuses. “There are High Court directions to ensure adequate budget for tree plantation. There is mismanagement of funds,” he said.
‘Absence of tree guards defeating the purpose of planting saplings’
While the BBMP is planting sapling, absence of tree guards has been a dampener for its efforts.
Majority of the saplings have been lost as the civic body failed to put up tree guards, said Attiguppe ward councillor S. Raju. In his ward, only around 15 saplings have survived, he added.
“Sanction was given for 5,000 saplings in each ward. They did not plant those many. Even among what they planted, hardly 15 have survived, as there are no tree guards. They need not plant thousands of saplings. Even if they plant 100, ensuring their survival is important. Also, they should settle the bills to those involved in the project only after six months, or one year, once they ensure that the saplings grow. Otherwise, they will plant and forget it. It is just a waste of money,” Mr. Raju said.
Urging the BBMP to ensure tree guards, activist Vijay Nishanth said, With no tree guard, chances are that people will damage it by parking too close or dumping garbage near the sapling. Funds are allocated for tree guards, but no one knows what happens to them. Thousands of rupees are spent on planting saplings. If every tree that the Palike claims to have planted had survived, Bengaluru would have been a forest,” he said.
BBMP officials claim that 80% of the saplings have tree guards. Cholarajappa, DCFO of BBMP, said last year there was a problem as the tenders were awarded separately to different companies for planting saplings and installing tree guards. This time one company will be put in charge of both planting and managing the saplings in the tenders, he said.
