Now Reading: Bengaluru citizens lead plantation walks plogging drives
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Bengaluru citizens lead plantation walks plogging drives
The #IamBengaluru volunteer initiative enters its second week after over 500 citizens turned out for 14 activities across Bengaluru. On Sunday (Aug 16), drives include sapling plantation, plogging and park clean-ups at…
The Story in Brief
The #IamBengaluru volunteer initiative enters its second week after over 500 citizens turned out for 14 activities across Bengaluru. On Sunday (Aug 16), drives include sapling plantation, plogging and park clean-ups at locations including JP Nagar and Koramangala. Former cricketer Javagal Srinath will join a plogging session at Mini Forest, JP Nagar Phase 3, and interact with volunteers on caring for the city's environment. The initiative has support from Kristu Jayanti University and NGO partner Youth for Seva.
Separately, herpetologist Yashas Bharadwaj, 28, and former geology professor T J Renukaprasad, 69, have led free nature walks for 63 consecutive Sundays at Bangalore University's 330-acre Bio Park. The walks, drawing 60-300 participants weekly, introduce citizens to biodiversity including 1,000 tree varieties and 180 bird species. Bharadwaj, an IISc alumnus, said he realised the best way to protect a forest is to help people fall in love with it first.
The Indian Opinion
These two campaigns show that many Bengalureans are willing to step up for green spaces, but there is a risk of letting civic bodies off the hook. The Times of India reports that land-grab and development proposals have already eaten away nearly 100 acres of the Bio Park since 2016. Legal challenges alone cannot stop it; citizen vigilance must be matched by genuine policy enforcement. The real test: will the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) formally commit to protecting these pockets, or will the burden remain only on volunteers?
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
