Surana College’s green initiative, which kicked off August last year, has yielded results in the form of 5 feet long young saplings along the roads of North and Central Bangalore. Tying up with Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the municipal corporation, they planted over 2,500 saplings — 2,000 of them with six feet tall steel fencing and 500 of them with chicken meshes.
AS Chandramouli, principal, Surana College, says,“We joined hands with BBMP to realise this project. We chose plants, purchased the saplings and fenced it. We took the help of BBMP staff to dig, cement and finish the project. Students of the environment club also up this initiative. They took care of the planting on Queens and Mission roads. This project went on for almost three months. The horticulture department also advised the college against fibrous roots. The roots should go deep and not spread horizontally and damage the pavements — the cobblestone should not get dismantled. So we stuck to the taproot variety. One another thing that was taught to our students was that the trees should not grow too tall also, that after 12 to 15ft it should stunt taproot trees will help doing that. Fibrous roots will grow too torrentially. Then BBMP will pitch in to cut the trees after 15 ft.”
Surana College also plans to sensitise students about water and water-waste management by tying up with NGO Meera. “The students will be trained collectively and taught how to conserve and recycle water in homes. The NGO will help students and staff realise rain water harvesting method and how to best use it. Students will also be participating in awareness campaigns helping to create awareness and individual sensitisation about how to use water while showering, shaving and which nozzles should be used to minimise water flow,” says Chandramouli.
— edex@newindianexpress.com