BENGALURU: The BMRCL has planted 25,720 tree saplings as Compensatory Afforestation (CA). According to BBMP forest division, the BMRCL, which has few reaches now to connect Bengaluru City from one part to another, has to take up compensatory afforestation as the metro project required felling of thousands of trees.
“The places were identified across the city and in three different phases, tree saplings that are native and can sustain the weather have been planted. The BBMP forest department had monitored the work. The project was initiated in June 2023 and by September 2023, 25,000 plus tree saplings were planted and now they have grown well, the BMRCL only will maintain the same for two more years,” said BLG Swamy, Deputy Conservator Of Forest BBMP.
The CA taken under Phase-2 in which 17,690 saplings were planted in places like ASC North (Training areas) Ibluru, CMP (Training area) Neelasandra, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, Old Military Dairy Farm, Hebbal, and in Youth Training Center JP Nagar.
Similarly, under Phase-2A, 8030 saplings were planted in the same areas. According to officials, 40,050 more saplings will be planted under the CA component and now instead of BMRCL, the forest department will only take up the cause.
“The finance department of BMRCL will transfer the amount required for CA and its maintenance for three years to the forest department. BMRCL has many tasks to do and its focus is on infrastructure and hence as a social responsibility, the required amount will be transferred to the forest department as they have a dedicated team to take up afforestation and maintenance of the tree saplings,” said an official.
The correspondence and other documents in this relation will be done in December 2024 and in the next monsoon season, there will be a massive tree sapling plantation drive including CA, a senior official from BMRCL added.