Like-minded people join hands for afforestation drive

Some like-minded people in Bagalkot have joined hands for afforestation drive with an intention to increase greenery.

A few doctors, entrepreneurs, merchants, government employees and others have set up an organisation named Bagalkot Social Workers (BSW) Force and are silently striving to enhance greenery in the city with the assistance of City Municipal Council (CMC) and Forest Department.

The Forest Department provides free saplings to the BSW while the CMC staff supply water and dig pits for planting saplings. In the last few days, BSW planted more than 1,400 saplings at various places including on the government lands in the city.

Last year during rainy season, the BSW had planted about six thousand saplings in the city. This time it has aimed to plant ten thousand saplings. The Bagalkot Social Workers have started planting various saplings in the premises of old pravasi mandir, empty land of the Forest Department behind Lions School, empty land in front of Daddenavar hospital, housing colony and other areas in the city. Under the banner of BSW orgnisation, senior and junior doctors of several hospitals, entrepreneurs, government employees and their family members take part in this afforestation drive every Sunday.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, BSW organisation’s convener Shridhar Das said, they are seriously striving to protect and nurture saplings after planting them. They meet students of school and colleges located near the spots where the saplings are planted and give them responsibility of nurturing the saplings and they also create awareness on environment among the students. The CMC supplies water to the saplings, he stated.