Chartered Accountant sells house to fund his passion for planting trees

Chamarajnagar: People sell their properties to meet medical expenses, marriages and education of children and such other pressing needs. But a tree lover has sold his only house property to fund his passion – to plant trees and nurture them.

C.M. Venkatesh, a Charted Accountant by profession and a native of Chamarajanagara, is fond of trees since childhood.

Cutting down of thousands of tress by the PWD authorities in 2016 for widening of roads left Venkatesh heartbroken as Chamarajanagara was rendered bald.

It was then that he decided to plant saplings and restore greenery in the town. Every day he started planting 10-15 saplings along the roads and water

them besides setting up tree guards to protect the young plants from animals. He engages labourers to plant and water saplings. He is passionate about the trees that some days he plants up to 100 saplings which buys from Mysuru and other places.

In the past five years, Venkatesh has planted more than 8,000 trees within town and on the outskirts. They include Honge, Bevu, Hebbevu, Devagana, Akasha mallige , Basavanapada and other species. Now the trees have grown up to 5-10 foot tall giving cool shade to people at Sampige Road , Chamarajanagar Jodi Road, Deviation Road, Court Road, Sampi Road, Railway Station Road, District Ambedkar Stadium, Central College, and other areas.

Taking a leaf out of his book, the admirers of the Chartered Accountant, plant and water saplings at their homes. They even donate young trees to the man on such occasions as birthdays of their children and marriages.

Venkatesh takes such loving care of the trees that he deploys water-tankers in summer to nurture them. However, his service to nature has driven him into debts. He has spent lakhs of rupees from his own pocket. Last month, he even sold his only house for Rs 22 lakh and repaid the loans and moved into a rented house.

Venkatesh's wife Jayalakshmi is happy that her husband has sold the house for a worthy cause and she is very proud of him.

Speaking to The Hans India, Venkatesh said that he started planting trees on such occasions as birthday of actors Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, playback singer S P Balasubramanyam and other film personalities. This hobby turned into a passion and took strong root in his soul. He said he has no regrets for selling

his property. "How it matters? I can build another house anytime in future. Time can't wait for raising trees and conserving nature," he said in a philosophic tone.