In what is described as one of the biggest tree planting movements in Mysuru in recent years, the ‘Go Green’ initiative, which aims to plant over 1 lakh saplings across the city, will unfold here on World Environment Day, which falls on Sunday.
Many government departments and organisations/institutions will take part in the three-month long initiative led by the district administration.
While the Forest Department had come forward to provide 45,000 saplings, the Department of Horticulture is supplying 20,000 fruit-bearing plants. The remaining saplings would be sourced by various organisations.
The initiative will take off at the Government Guest House. Each week, a locality or public premises would be selected for planting trees with the support of ‘green-conscious’ volunteers.
Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha told The Hindu that each school had been asked to plant five trees on their premises as part of the initiative. Likewise, various other institutions had been told to join the mission and plant saplings wherever possible to enhance the city’s green cover.
She said that some persons had unscientifically planted trees on the sides of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and the saplings used are not suitable for planting on the roadsides. She said the Forest Department had carefully chosen varieties for planting under the initiative as they have more survival instincts.
Only fruit-bearing varieties are being supplied by the Horticulture Department, she said.
Ms. Shikha said the industries and the private layout developers have also shown interest to plant trees in their campuses and layouts respectively coinciding with the ‘Go Green’ initiative.
Public participation is a key for the success of the initiative, she said, adding that the district administration welcomes the civil society groups to join and plant trees on the premises of their properties to boost-up the city’s green cover.
The city corporation had also been asked to join the movement and plant trees on the premises of their properties.
Experts have identified a few plant species that are reckoned to be favorable to Mysuru’s climatic conditions and soil. According to them, champaka, pongamia pinnata, cassia spectabilis, cassia javanica and jacaranda can be planted in Mysore region.
