Over 400 saplings near Kasavanahalli Lake destroyed in a day

Over 400 saplings planted by a local resident around Kasavanahalli Lake on Sarjapur Road were destroyed by the BBMP contractor on Monday.

BENGALURU: Over 400 saplings planted by a local resident around Kasavanahalli Lake on Sarjapur Road were destroyed by the BBMP contractor on Monday. Ashutosh Sharma had planted a variety of saplings around the lake bund last year and was shocked to see the contractor ruthlessly destroying them. BBMP officials say the saplings were planted without permission on the lake bund area even before it was strengthened.

Ashutosh Sharma told The New Indian Express that he had taken care of them as if they were his own children. “On Monday, the contractor brought his JCB and destroyed 400 tree saplings. I have reported the matter to the BBMP authorities but no action has been taken. Even residents of this area requested the contractor not to uproot them, but in vain,” Sharma added.

Meanwhile, High Court appointed Tree Committee member Vijay Nishanth who rushed to the spot and inspected the damage said, “This is not the first time such a thing has happened as many individuals and NGOs in the city have carried out plantation work around Lake bund area. Since the bund area had to be strengthened, the contractor has carried out this controversial work without retaining the saplings.”

“The contractor should have done the work in such a way that the saplings could have been retained. Now, it is impossible to save them,” Nishanth added.BBMP officials say that every lake or tank has a structure and profile and depending on this aspect, plantation work needs to be taken up. It has to be done scientifically.

Points to be noted before planting saplings
■ Take BBMP permission 
■ Take expert’s help for species selection
■ Take BBMP’s help for area selection
■ Don’t go for the same species
■ Knowledge of lake biodiversity needed
■ Do not plant on bunds before strengthening

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