The Rotary Club of Bangalore and the Art of Living on Saturday inked a Memorandum of Understanding to undertake an afforestation project on the 175-acre barren land at Kaiwara in Chikkaballapur district.
Rotary members said the land, interspersed with rocky hillocks, has the potential to nurture over 50,000 saplings.
Saplings of 15 tree species will be planted on the banks of the Palar river with an aim to rejuvenate the river catchment and improve the groundwater table in the adjoining villages.
Vincent Raj, president, Rotary Club of Bangalore, told DH that the responsibility to undertake a massive eco-restoration project is to conserve nature, the focus of the newly introduced seventh vertical. The project will involve Rotarians and AoL.
"It took us six to seven months of detailed planning and multiple site visits to Kaiwara. The Karnataka Forest Department has agreed to give us 50,000 saplings initially, which will be planted in May 2021," Raj explained.
Dr Lingaraju Yale, renowned geohydrologist and national director of river rejuvenation projects, AoL, said the digging of pits and trenches will begin in a week.
“Since it is the birthplace of the Palar river, scientific and quantified attempts will be made to feed the first stream that flows into it. The gaps in the rocky hillock area have fertile soil below them that support vegetation to circulate water that will flow throughout the year,” Dr Yale said.
The project will train locals to maintain the saplings, besides planting several flowering and fruit-bearing trees to provide alternative revenue to the nearly 700 families in the area.
(Published 09 January 2021, 19:21 IST)
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