Siddartha residents chant green mantra

World Environment Day is barely a week away, but for the residents of Siddarthanagar, it was a bit early.

Greens among the residents of the posh locality, with lofty Chamundi Hills nearby, reserved some time, to create better environs, sacrificing a bit of their Sunday (May 22) fun. Sporting green ribbon, they took to streets for a common cause- to enrich green cover in the surroundings.

Named ‘Go Green’, the activity unfolded for the first time under the banner of Rotary Club of Mysore East, was an instant hit. When the whole world is saying it louder to give impetus to green, challenging the rapid urbanisation, the green crusaders among the residents here, were not behind. Starting from the office of Central Excise on Vinaya Marga, the volunteers, young and old alike including women, went on to plant 100 saplings.

Most of them were fruit bearing like- Jamun (Nerale in Kannada), Cherry, Neem, besides Ashoka and Gulmohar- ubiquitously seen road side trees. Why youngsters? They are the future and it’s time some worthy knowledge is inculcated in them. Charter member of the club and president elect Nimish told City Herald, about 81 volunteers from doctors to engineers, officers to all like minded people were roped in for the purpose. A total of 400 more saplings were distributed among the volunteers, but only to keep their spirit alive.

The volunteers are asked to plant the saplings in front of his or her houses. After six months, the members of the club will visit every such houses only to rate the best among them. All those who have lent their love in nurturing the plant with equal care will be rewarded with incentives, Nimish added. It’s not the end of the road for better environment, as the volunteers have extra task on hand. They also have to identify vacant places bereft of any trees, to cover the same next.

Buoyed by the overwhelming response the green drive garnered, the club has decided to organise similar activity once in every quarter. Plans are also on the anvil to replicate the initiative in other parts of the city, in association with other organisations.

Nimish was grateful to the social forestry wing of Zilla Panchayat here. The authorities readily agreed to extend saplings free of cost, the moment they heard of the plans.
Also into creating awareness on ill effects of plastic, the club had summoned DCP (Crime and traffic) P Rajendra Prasad for a talk on the day. Knowledge was exchanged on recycling waste to prevent using the non-biodegradable thing as much as possible.

SP (Central Excise) Ashok is the Chairman of the club, who has been the force behind in taking the initiative forward, said Nimish.

The locality is named after enlightened monk Gauthama Budhdha, who was Siddartha for his parents.

The monk here got enlightenment under ‘Bodhi Vruksha’. No wonder, the residents of the very locality have embarked upon a green mission. They also have got enlightenment, but on a green cause.