Salumarada Thimmakka is usually remembered for afforestation, But here is another person from Pandavapura, Gowdegowda, who had involved himself in the activity forty years ago.
Also known as ‘Salumarada Gowdegowda’, he had planted around 400 saplings from Sunkathonnur to Bale Attiguppe, which are now providing shade for commuters.
About 50 years ago when Gowdegowda was chairman of Sunkathonnur village, he had planted the saplings for benefit of people who had to walk till the main road of
Bevinakuppe to go to Pandavapura as there were no shelters then.
Moved by the difficulty of people, he swung into action and planted almost 800 different saplings till Bevinakuppe.
He even nourished the plants by watering them once in three days, carrying water from canals and water tanks in carts. He worked with eight labourers for almost two years continuously.
Not stopping here, he even set up stone seats for people to rest, which have been taken away by people now. Though many trees have also been destroyed, more than 400 trees now are standing examples of his hard work and interest in afforestation.
Appreciating the work of Gowdegowda, the then social welfare minister Veerendra Patil had honoured with the licence of the trees to his family.
