Many saplings planted by BMRCL near three Bengaluru lakes are dead: report

Saplings without tree guards near lakes with incomplete fencing is a sheer waste of energy, time and resources, says ActionAid Association’s report.

The report suggested that the BMRCL should provide extra focus and monitor the saplings during the summer. Only 192 saplings were found to have tree guards. (Express Photo)

A report suggests that 16.5 per cent of the saplings planted by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) under compensatory afforestation near the Sarakki, Veerasagara and Gottigere lakes were “water-stressed” and that 4.2 per cent of them seemed dead.

Out of the 901 saplings planted, 690 had green leaves, 27 had brown leaves, 87 had no leaves and 29 were dead.

The report, released by the ActionAid Association on Friday, stated that the survey was conducted between March 16 and 23. Its results were submitted to the BMRCL.

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“113 tree saplings were noticed to be tied with a binding wire to hang the board with tree numbers. Six illegal entries were found in the other two lakes (Sarakki and Veerasagara) from where cattle could enter, while Gottigere lake is not fenced. Waste including plastics were seen thrown around the saplings and in the lake,” the report said.

“A team of four student MSW interns at ActionAid Association were oriented on the role of trees in the environment and reasons on how forest cover has been reducing across the globe and been a reason for climate change. In urban environments, for various public projects we lose the green cover and our efforts to regrow them. BMRCL’s compensatory afforestation was worked out as a case study. The students randomly selected three lakes Sarakki, Gottigere and Veerasagara for the survey…,” the report said.

The report suggested that the BMRCL should provide extra focus and monitor the saplings during the summer. Only 192 saplings were found to have tree guards.

“Tree guards protect the saplings from cattle. Saplings without tree guards in lakes with incomplete fencing is a sheer waste of energy, time and resources. The BMRCL should ensure the lakes are completely fenced, or tree guard needs to be installed and maintained for all the saplings for care & protection,” the report said.

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