While the animal adoption scheme of Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens has become a big hit among animal lovers, the University of Mysore is mulling over initiating ‘Plant Adoption’ programme in a bid towards nature conservation.

The green friendly plans in the making is part of the Green Campus programme undertaken by the university under the University for Potential Excellence. The previous UPA government had allocated Rs one crore for the plantation drive, and the varsity had received Rs 50 lakh, said, Prof V Ravishankar Rai, Coordinator of the programme.

Rai said that through the Plant Adoption programme, the varsity wanted to involve youngsters, especially students and general public to keep the green cover intact, and also enhance the same with exotic and ornamental plants.

The varsity will provide the sapling for free, and also the space at its 700 acre odd campus comprising Manasagangotri (PG campus), Maharaja’s College and Yuvaraja’s College, he added. He also said that people will be allowed to bring saplings of their own choice. “To develop a bonding towards the nature, they will have to nurture the plants on their own,” said Rai.

A similar endeavour has been taken up at Tumkur University as part of the curriculum. A student who successfully nurtures the plant will be given bonus marks. Similar activities have also been undertaken at a larger scale in several foreign universities, said Rai.

As part of the green drive, works were underway to develop gardens both with natural and mexican grass, besides planting flower bearing and fruit bearing saplings to develop the food chain for birds and flies. 

In the last three years around 5,000 saplings have been planted  in the campus by the Horticulture department of the varsity. Under the recent programme, 1,500 of the total 2,000 saplings have already planted. On Friday, the planting exercise was completed in the area surrounding the main building of University College of Fine Arts.