After Entering Guinness Records, Saplings Wither Across Sites In Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar took pride in planting as many as 15 lakh saplings in Bengaluru to mark the 517th birth anniversary of Bengaluru founder Hiriya Kempegowda on June 27 and the planting entered Guinness Book of Records and barely 10-days after the planting of saplings, State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Karnataka Unit and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday pointed to “withering” saplings without water and care across the sites of planting.

The planting of the saplings earned Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Chairman and MLA N.A. Harris Guinness Book of Records for “The most plants planted by a team in 12 hours.”

Vijayendra stated “Just a certificate on the wall and dead plants on the ground” to explain the grim situation prevailing of the saplings which were planted barely 10-days back at multiple locations in Bengaluru city.

Within days of this much-publicised Rs 88 crore plantation drive, he said “no water and no maintenance.” The ruling Congress government patted its back over entering the Guinness Book of Records and when cameras left, the saplings died without care.

“This Congress government perfected the art of gimmick. Launch a scheme, hold an après conference, claim a record and move on,” criticised the BJP Chief and stated “Now a plantation drive where the only thing that survived was the press release.”

On the day of planting saplings, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar planted a sapling to mark the anniversary of Hiriya Kempegowda and stated “This is not just a plantation drive or a world record (exercise), it is a people’s movement to restore our city’s (Bengaluru) ecological heritage and secure its future.”

The Chief Minister, at a function of Kempegowda jayanthi, called upon the members of the society “Let’s us nurture the Bengaluru that Kempegowda envisioned.”