The Forest Department will promote the urban greenery programme in a big way to shore up the quality of the environment in Mysuru. It will plant 50,000 saplings in the city limits before monsoon this year to enhance the green cover.
This will not only help tackle pollution and manage micro climatic conditions but provide other intangible benefits that cannot be quantified such as improving the city aesthetics.
The Deputy Conservator of Forests V. Karikalan told The Hindu that the target is to cover 175 hectares in Mysuru territorial division, out of which 135 hectares will be covered within the city limits alone. ‘’The saplings have been reared in our nurseries are ready and will be taken for plantation once the city and the region receives pre-monsoon showers,” he added. The Forest Department’s mandate is to plant 200 plants per hectare if it is an open space or 200 plants per km of road.
The planting of 50,000 saplings is in continuation of a similar number of saplings that were planted last year and are being maintained by the Forest Department. The authorities plan to focus on the new residential areas besides the existing open spaces in Vijayanagar, R.T. Nagar, Lalitadripura, apart from identifying vacant places in government offices.
416 parks
The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has submitted a list of 416 parks in its jurisdiction to the Forest Department for tree plantation that will be taken up to improve the green cover of the city. “Some of the parks are already well-established and have no space for planting saplings but a majority are open spaces and will be covered under the programme,” said Mr. Karikalan.
Tree guards
Though there was no provision to provide tree guards, the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has agreed to release ₹15 lakh so that tree guards can be installed to ensure that the saplings survive the first few years. Mr. Karikalan said emphasis was being laid on planting indigenous species like Bevu or neem, nerale, and ficus, besides other fruit-yielding species that will help sustain birds and other creatures and are also drought-resistant.
In addition to the 50,000 saplings in the city, 20,000 saplings will be planted along Mysuru – T. Narsipura Highway to compensate for the trees felled to widen the highway.
Meanwhile, the plantation of 4,500 saplings along the 40 km Outer Ring Road has been completed and are being watered every week. A dedicated tanker has been pressed into service exclusively to ensure these plants are watered. “In the next few years, the entire stretch will be a ‘biowall’ or a green belt surrounding Mysuru,” Mr. Karikalan said.
On the right track, with help from the people
Though Mysuru has a history of promoting urban greenery since the time of the erstwhile maharajas and was known for its roads being lined with tree canopy, some of which are visible even today as along the Valmiki Road, the green cover in the city has taken a hit owing to road widening.
Parts of Mysuru, such as the residential areas in Sarawathipuram, Kuvempunagar, Lalithamahal Road, and Kalidasa Road, witnessed tree felling in pursuit of road widening. However, planting has received a fresh thrust in recent years with active citizen participation.
Along Vishwamanava Double Road, saplings are being maintained by the residents of commercial establishments who sponsor their watering, according to Deputy Conservator of Forests V. Karikalan.
