MYSURU: Chief ministerSiddaramaiah here on Sunday said a majority of the saplings planted with much pomp and show during World Environment Day celebrations are orphaned once the festivities are over.
"Every year, we plant lakhs of saplings by spending crores of rupees. Taking care of them is equally important. The forest and other departments concerned have failed in maintaining them. They claim that nearly 30 per cent of the saplings planted during such drives survive. I doubt it. Due to lack of proper care not more than 25% will survive," he said.
He was speaking at the Environment Day celebrations and inauguration of the newly-constructed Mysuru Regional Training Centre for Women Empowerment. He also laid the foundation stone for the guest house to be come up on the centre premise at Vijayanagara second stage.
"Merely planting saplings will not serve the purpose. Equal importance should be given to protect them which is not happening. The government can't do everything. We need the participating of citizens in such drives. The awareness on the need to protect environment should start from home. Citizens should also pitch in their mite to help the government mange garbage scientifically," he added.
"Garbage management had become a nightmare for BBMP. Soon after I became the CM , I set up six garbage disposal and recycling units in and around Bengaluru. Every day on an average 3,000 metric tonnes of garbage is generated there. Mysuru, which generates nearly 400 metric tonnes of waste every day, should have a scientific disposal system in place to prevent it from going the Bengaluru way," he added.
He also said that climate change is a threat to humanity.
"The climate change is caused by pollution. Lakes across the state are encroached. We overexploit ground water by digging borewells. In kolar, even after digging 1500 ft they are not getting water," he said. Siddaramaiah also called up on citizens to start gardening.
Under its green campaign, the zillapanchayath in association with the forest department will plant 1 lakh sapling in various places in the city. The ZP will also distribute 10 saplings across the district. B PushpaAmarnath, ZP president, submitted a memorandum to the CM asking him to include environmental rights in fundamental rights.
Chamaraja constituency MLA Vasu was present.
