JOIN USThe much talked-about ‘tree census’ proposal by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has been put on the backburner for want of appropriate guidance.
The Board’s plan to keep tabs on the City’s green cover two weeks ago received good response. But now, it is absolutely clueless on how to go about it.
It is seeking assistance from other departments, including BBMP and the Forest department.
A senior official from KSPCB told Deccan Herald that they wanted to conduct the census, but they have no idea on how to go about it.
“It will be good if Palike comes forward and helps us. We are ready to even bear the cost of planting new saplings and undertaking the census. To discuss the procedure, we will shortly hold a meeting with Palike officials. They need to help us in logistics as they are the right authority,” said the official.
KSPCB officials point out that the proposal is still in a nascent stage and the scope of the project to be executed is grim. Nanda Kumar, Senior Environment Officer, KSPCB, conceded: “The tree census should be carried out by the Forest department and the civic body, ideally. But since the idea of restoring the green cover and the concept of six trees per person in the City struck KSPCB chairman Vaman Acharya, the proposal was considered.”
However, till date no tree census has been carried out in the City. Confirming this, Chief Conservator of Forests, BBMP, Brijesh Kumar said: “A few years ago, private firms had come forward to do the census, but couldn’t proceed due to technical glitches. Apart from that, a member of one of the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), along with volunteers from Koramangala had carried out the census. The Palike has not undertaken it as it is not feasible and involves lot of complications.
There are very less chances of conducting the census from the Palike end in the coming days.”
The Koramangala 3rd Block RWA conducted the tree census in February 2012 to conserve the trees with the help of volunteers and by using Google map.
Vishwanath, general secretary of the RWA, said: “It is not complicated as it seems to be and we took around two months to complete. The tree census should be mandatorily done by the government. The Palike can do it by using technologies such as Google maps and Geographical Information System.”