Whenever We Plant Saplings, People Remove Them: DFO

Whenever We Plant Saplings, People Remove Them: DFO

12 October 2009

A sapling plantation drive was organized by the Mara Belesi Bhoomi Ulisi Parisara Jagruthi Samiti in collaboration with Rotary Club Mangalore Down Town and Mangalore East in the city on October 12, Sunday. 

The programme was inaugurated by Sr. Adichunchanagiri Shakha Mutt Seer Sri Dharmapalanatha Swamiji, who urged Mangaloreans to safeguard the green wealth of the city. He said: “Destruction of greenery is a great sin and it would make the life of human beings miserable.” He quoted from religious texts and said that a person’s sins are forgiven if he/she plants one banyan, ten tamarind, one hundred rose berry, one banyan, ten mango, and one hundred bilva trees. 

Speaking on the occasion, District Forest Officer (DFO) Vijay Kumar said that any tree plantation drive within the limits of the city can succeed only if the citizens extend their whole-hearted support and cooperation. He said: “Efforts by the forest department to make Mangalore green by planting new saplings are not yielding the expected results because whenever we plant a sapling, people remove them. In some areas, we planted saplings for not less that four times, but residents of the area removed them.” 

Mr. Kumar also informed the media people that the authorities plan to grow 10 varieties of more than 2,000 flowering plants such as tabulia, vassia, and vahinia. These plants, which would not grow more than 15 meters in height, are ideal for an urban environment. Moreover, they would provide shade and yield beautiful flowers, greatly enhancing the beauty of city.