'Each one plant five', CM Basavaraj Bommai's call for afforestation

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday called on people to plant five saplings each and play an active role in the afforestation programmes.

The Chief Minister, in his address, after inaugurating a tree park at Machohalli, said, "Benaluru is growing at an unimaginable pace. The city is witnessing massive industrialisation and the forest department officials should chalk out a special programme to create green cover around Bengaluru through afforestation and developing more tree parks."

For the first time in the country, the government allocated Rs 100 crore in the budget exclusively for ecological preservation. "The Ecology Budget would be used to offset the ecological deficit or loss that is happening. The forest department has been instructed to formulate an action plan to offset the ecological deficit on an annual basis. An annual outlay of Rs 100 crore would be made for the purpose," Bommai said.

The rules and regulations for cultivating sandal trees have been simplified and a special 'Beejotsava' programme has been launched for afforestation in lands identified as forest lands. Bommai exhorted students to take the lead in afforestation programmes by planting and nurturing saplings.

Referring to Prime Minister Modi's call for Swachh Bharat, Bommai called upon the people to build a Green India. He wanted the forest department to increase the forest cover in the State from the present 21% to 30%.