Bangalore University to have a botanical garden soon

The 600-acre eco-friendly Bangalore University (BU) Jnanabharathi campus will sport a botanical garden soon.

The making of the garden coincides with 100 years of the Botany Department at BU.

The garden will benefit the practical curriculum of the botany students at the university.

Senior university officials have already identified 50 acres of land in the campus, adjacent to the upcoming BASE building.

“This will not have any landscape as such and will not be a tourist attraction like other places. The botanical garden will cater to botany students doing research. The place next to BASE building has been identified for the project, which will be ready by June 2019,” BU Vice-Chancellor, Venugopal K R told DH.

The botany department, which was established in Central College campus in 1919 was shifted to Jnanabharathi campus by the former vice-chancellor H Narasimhaiah in 1964.

“There is a possibility that the botanical garden will be a part of an elite company’s CSR efforts. We will finalise the company shortly. Except the land, there is nothing else that burden our university. The garden is essential for botany students. There are some Nilgiri trees in the identified plot that needs to be cut down; the trees are affecting the groundwater resources too. Plant species useful in Ayurveda will be given prominence in the garden,” Venugopal added.