Krishna Byre Gowda
| Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J.
Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Monday announced that a sapling plantation drive would be launched in the city from August 15 under the banner “Bengaluru Hasirooru”.The initiative, aimed at increasing the city’s green cover, will see the planting of 64,000 saplings across Bengaluru this year. In addition, 40,000 saplings will be distributed to members of the public who wish to undertake plantation drives on their own. The corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will be responsible for maintaining the saplings for four years.To meet the target, the corporations have collectively earmarked ₹9.64 crore in their budgets, covering both plantation and years of maintenance.“This year, priority will be given to planting trees in residential layouts with public participation. Once the requirements of residential areas are met, the remaining saplings will be planted in public spaces, along roadsides, around lakes, and in parks,” Mr. Gowda said.He also instructed officials to plant six-foot-tall saplings in pits in accordance with prescribed norms.The Minister said that involving citizens in the plantation drive would significantly improve the survival and maintenance of the trees.Private-Public-Planting ProgrammeAmid allegations that plantation drives undertaken by the civic body have remained only on paper in the past, Mr. Gowda said the new initiative would improve accountability.For this, the programme will be implemented under a new model called the Private-Public-Planting Programme, under which Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) will be encouraged to participate.According to Mr. Gowda, all registered and unregistered RWAs in the city can submit proposals if they have space to plant at least 30 saplings in their neighbourhood, while ensuring a minimum distance of 12 feet between each tree.Interested RWAs can visit the Forest Department’s website or write to DCFGBA26@gmail.com to submit their proposals, following which the department will verify the location and decide whether the plantation drive can be taken up at the site. Applications must be submitted by August 10, and the plantation drive will continue for a month.The Minister also reprimanded the GBA officials for delaying tenders for the plantation work and directed them to complete the process within the next ten days at any cost so that the drive can begin next month.Mr. Gowda said a tracking system would be introduced for every sapling planted during the current financial year. “Details of the location and number of trees planted across the city, along with their geo-location, will be made available on the corporation’s website, enabling citizens to monitor the programme,” he said.As RWAs are being brought on board for the initiative, they will be able to hold the civic bodies accountable and question any lapses in implementation, he added. Published - July 20, 2026 07:34 pm IST
