Tree plantation drive in HSR

Boulevards are better than random planting, say some residents opposed to this idea
By AFSANA AHMED

Volunteers of HSR Citizen Forum are going around the layout to increase the tree cover of HSR Layout. With the blessings of MLA Satish Reddy and the assistance of BBMP, they went about planting trees in front of residential and commercial areas.

“The forest department agreed to sponsor 600 trees, electric drill and labour to plant the trees, provided the volunteers from the Forum identified the locations,” says Dr Shanthi Tummala, a dentist turned environment activist and member of Solid Waste Management Round Table. “BBMP agreed to provide electricity and the corporator provided the moral backing to deal with the owners’ objections. Work began in July and so far, over 300 saplings have been planted in places identified by the volunteers.

However, some residents, well-versed with the topography and rules of town planning, are crying foul. “Some residents thought the tree would grow up and block the ‘beauty’ of their house,” says Smita. “A few commercial places objected because it ate into their parking space. Between the corporator Gurumurthy Reddy, BBMP AEE Venkatesh and resident activists, the arguments were resolved.” Says Chitra, a resident volunteer of Sector 1, who accompanied the drilling team on several occasions, “We ensured the planting was between two compound walls so that it didn’t obstruct any gate. Only if the owner consented, we planted in between also.”

Most of the saplings provided are low-maintenance trees like honge, neem, sampige, tabubia rosea, mahogany, kaadu badami and nerale as they are low maintenance and best suited for Bangalore soil and climate. “With 600 saplings planted, HSR Layout is all set to transform from concrete jungle to a real one,” says Smita.

AEE Venkatesh (94806-85445) can be contacted if any footpath is not beautified after the tree planting. The shopkeepers say that commercial areas should be free from tree planting because it blocks the facade and limits parking spaces. Importantly, they say that they should be consulted before BBMP forces it upon them. “Every area in HSR is a commercial area,” says Smita. “Where people strongly objected or the concrete was more than eight inches thick, it was left alone. Communication has never been BBMP’s strong point. If we say they should not do things if they cant plan it properly, nothing will get done.”

Volunteers claim that a distance of 10 feet is maintained between saplings, But Residents Watch has noticed that this hasn’t happened uniformly across the layout. Looking at all the concerns of residents, Sector 6 resident Pradeep Krishnamurthy has suggested a better way of greening neighbourhoods. “After the tree is planted, and when it grows, it could damage all the underground utilities, particularly Gail gas pipelines which could lead to fire hazards. Instead, boulevards can be created based on the infrastructure mapping. For example, a main street with only Ashoka trees because there might be high tension wires and underground cables, a street with dwarf local trees, a street with only flowering plants, a street with only fruiting plants. This idea will ensure planned planting and no future hassles rather than random planting based on what’s available from the forest department.”