Saplings: BBMP banks on citizens

Bengaluru: While there is no proper mechanism yet to safeguard lakhs of saplings being distributed freely by the BBMP, it hopes that rewarding citizens with 'Green Warrior' certificate would motivate them to do so.

A citizen who wishes to get the certificate has to send photos of the saplings' growth at its third and sixth months and so on. BBMP is planning to review it in the month of December before issuing Green Warrior certificate. BBMP is also looking at the option of rewarding citizens with 'Green badge'.

For the first time the BBMP through its 'Green App' has come up with the initiative to distribute 10 lakh saplings free of cost to citizens during this monsoon to be planted across the city. The civic body has already distributed over one lakh saplings.

Manoj Rajan, Special Commissioner, BBMP told Deccan Chronicle, “BBMP has received over 2.5 lakh requests from citizens and the sapling distribution commenced ten days ago."

Replying a question on how the saplings will be safeguarded, Rajan said, "This is a citizen-led initiative. We hope all those who receive saplings will also take care of them. In order to motivate them to do so, we will be distributing Green warrior certificates."

He further said the saplings distributed to the citizens will not too vulnerable, as they will be at least 4-5 months old and 3-4 feet in height.

Of the 15 varieties of saplings provided by BBMP, pongamia pinnate or honge got the most requests, followed by neem and nerale, Rajan added.

Requests have been pouring in mainly from areas such as Singasandra, Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli, K. R. Puram and Horamavu, he said.