People visiting four different parks in Bengaluru on Tuesday morning had a pleasant surprise as they received free saplings on behalf of Deccan Herald and Prajavani to mark the World Environment Day. In total, about 2,000 saplings were given away.
In other parts of Karnataka, 500 saplings were distributed each in Mangaluru, Mysuru and Hubballi.
It was the first time that the state’s leading newspapers had carried out such a drive.
Those who received the saplings lauded the effort. “It’s important to stress that Bengaluru is the Garden City and we must protect and nurture our trees,” said Sampath, one of the recipients. Rajeshwari Sampath said the drive should not be restricted to the World Environment Day alone.
Some said saplings should be given to those who really grow and nurture them.
The event turned out to be a reminder to people to come forward to protect the countless trees being cut down in the name of development: be it for building footpaths, widening roads, laying metro lines or constructing flyovers.
Actor Geetha Bhat of ‘Brahmagantu’ fame, a programme on Zee Kannada, gave away the saplings at Sankey Tank in Malleswaram. Local MLA C N Ashwath Narayan was one of the recipients.
Kannada actor Vaishnavi Chandran Menon distributed the saplings at the Indiranagar park, while Sonu Gowda, another actor, gave them away at the Lakshman Rao Park in Jayanagar. Sushma Belli of ‘Yaare Nee Mohini’ fame distributed the saplings at JP Park in Mathikere.
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