Saving Bangalore: Spreading Awareness and Planting Trees

1. How can we save Bangalore ?

2. Who are we? • We are Environmentalists working towards spreading awareness in Bangalore about the need to plant trees

3. What we do? • We study the different changes which have occurred in Bangalore due to cutting of trees. • We come out with solutions to combat the problem. • We create awareness among the community to spread awareness on the need of planting trees.

4. Our Task To prevent deforestation in the locality?

5. Result of Survey conducted in Bangalore

6. Details of survey • We visited the surrounding areas of our school and some of us visited areas which were closer to our houses. The areas visited were Sampige Road ,Bull Temple Road, Gandhi Bazaar,Dr Rajkumar Road • We took 5 days 21st Aug to 25th August ’08 To complete the survey

7. According to a report by the Environment Support Group," the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike” starting March 2005, has been chopping trees lining Bangalore’s avenues in the name of widening roads to ease traffic congestion. • As on 21 April 2007, a lot of trees have been chopped” – the list is long and shocking. • Bangalore urban area is eating over the green belt , 6,295 acres of farmland has already been lost and it continues to spread. This has reduced the belt by 4.28 per cent in the last 10 years • Bangalore Development Authority recently announced a master plan that would further reduce the greenbelt by 2015. Facts we came to know during the survey

8. Comparative chart showing Bangalore before and now

9. Conduct tree census and index each and every tree on public and private land and should be duly marked on current and future Development plans. All trees should be protected like endangered species and prohibit cutting, trimming activities anywhere in the city jurisdiction. Before approving any construction plans a forest department NOC should be mandated, any vacant land which has trees older than 5+ years must modify the designs to protect the current trees. All trees on the roads must be monitored at least on monthly basis to protect them from termite and human attacks such as nailing posters and advertisements. Solutions

10. Solutions contd… • All current tree conservationists who have five or more trees in their premise aging more than 10 years should get 10% tax rebate and support for monitoring them. • Any tree cutting should require approval from CM’s office under an affidavit notified via magistrate after obtaining forest department NOC. More importantly this notification for cutting should be advertised to invite objections from public if this tree is on public land. • All offences on trees should be treated at par with humans and major punishments like imprisonment with fat fines…the amount collected should e used to enhance monitoring. Reporting any such offence via citizens should be rewarded 50% of the fine collected. A ‘tree helpline’ should be constituted and publicized. Even police have to support such called received on the number 100

11. Solutions contd… • A city tax should be levied on all properties which do not have earmarked space for trees within the premise for sites which are more than 40x60 in dimension; all smaller sites should have a reservation for one vacant space on the same road against 10 houses sold. • All apartments should have provided for one tree per resident duly maintain by the resident. • All localities should form a tree committee and govern the trees and coordinate with forest department to help conserve them, best committees should be rewarded with tax rebates for entire neighborhood… • All advertisements, cables put/pulled on/upon the trees should be removed and any deviations should be reported via a toll free tree helpline or dedicated website

12. Solutions contd… • Large urbanization projects should provide for budgets for relocation of trees if coming in way and ensure proper technologies are in place to safeguard the wellbeing of each individual tree being moved or relocated. • All advertisement holdings should be removed if they cause any disturbance on growth of any tree directly or indirectly. Perhaps these measures could help us sustain this green wealth and help restore the loss already caused to this beautiful city….

13. The seedlingEco-Club • We the students of JSS Public School have Formed this Eco-Club to create awareness about the effects of deforestation and its effect on the environment . • We have as a part of the club have all the students ,teachers and a few parents who are helping us in this endeavor . • As a part of the activities of the club we conduct awareness events for community members in the school premises ,collect funds for planting of trees every 15 days in different localities and create awareness among the residents about deforestation and effect it has on our life. we enroll the residents as members and give them the onus to look after the plants • We Request you to become members of the club and help us to make Bangalore a better place.

14. References • http://bangalorebuzz.blogspot.com/2007/04/green-turning-grey.html • http://i.pbase.com/u18/cartmg91/upload/15505228.Gosford9.jpg • http://www.flickr.com/photos/murali-art/2541579960/-for • http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/PTGPOD/432307~Hands-Holding-Seedling-Posters.jpg • http://www.onlinegardenertips.com/images/How-To-Start-Seedling-For-Hydroponic.jpg • http://www.discoverbangalore.com/greenery.htm • http://farm1.static.flickr.com/163/358504317_7789e86de5_o.gif

15. Thank You