What do we do when someone comes in our way? Given the choice and the ability we would push them aside; basic human tendency. And when this someone is an apparently inanimate object, we just clear the route, chop it off and move on without remorse. Precisely what happened to a few trees at Khade Bazaar , the super crowded business region of our city Belagavi.
Several trees were chopped off in the Khade Bazaar region in an attempt to clear every thing that causes hindrance to traffic. More such senseless acts will follow in the coming days, all, maybe, in the name of what we call “Building ourselves a smart city”.
While it may be necessary and even unavoidable in certain cases, the sheer reckless indulgence of putting an end to these Green Saviours would definitely have serious long term consequences.
As it is, despite the decent rains, we are still not getting enough heavenly blessings to say things are as they once used to be. Several talukas are on the verge of losing the second crop due to scarcity of water and there is no guarantee that it will rain well in the coming year.
As the population and with it the vehicles continue to grow, tons of carbon dioxide will continue to be added to the environment. A large tree inhales 20.3 kgs of CO2 in a year and exhales enough oxygen for a family of four for a year. Some full grown trees with enough foliage take up far more than just this much.Thus, one can imagine the quantum of trees that would really be necessary to compensate for the torture that we are inflicting on our own planet.
When All About Belgaum posted the Khade Bazaar tree cutting issue and several such incidents, people post dislikes and agony on the social media. But when it comes to actually doing some thing about it, then people opt for convenience.
The Green Saviours team through All About Belgaum invites the residents of Belagavi to give up their so called habits of relaxing on the early Sunday and to join the effort of planting thousands of trees in and around the city. Let us do the best we can to prompt mother nature to be kinder than she presently seems to be.
To join the Green Saviours team contact 9611313919 or write to [email protected]
The team will head into its 40th successive Sunday of work on this weekend.
A little time well spent on as many Sundays as possible would transform lives for us and generations to follow.
Can’t we do more than just Complain???
Are the Green Saviours team making sure that the plants they planted are alive and doing well?
Thank you Vidyaji for such a valuable question that should be asked after every vanamahotsava program. I feel privileged to inform you that we not only visit/revisit to water, supply nutrients via manure and monitor the growth of these saplings but pester the land owners to take care of them too :). Additionally, we pay condolence on the death of a plant by planting another one at the same place and making sure this one survives. Team Green Saviours is determined to reform Belgaum. Do join us on our 40th drive.
Please stop planting trees on streets in heavy urban areas – these are areas with no footpath or place for trees, the trees are usually planted beside the gutter, the roots of these trees eventually wreck the concrete gutters, the roots also gravitate towards and grow into cracks in the water and sewage pipes.
The idea of planting trees in Belgaum’s gallis has good intentions but is very short sighted. – either plant trees where there are wide footpaths or plant then in small urban green zones. Don’t dig a hole beside the gutter and plant trees.
We barely have any infrastructure in our cities and these trees are leading to cracked gutters, pipes and sewage systems. Water pipes or sewage systems are affected as water from the drains mixes in the drinking water pipes or the sewage flows in open gutters. Both of these are a danger to our health. Repairs are not carried out for months by municipal authorities.
Go to areas around the city – like he hillocks around Kakati etc – with empty forest land and carry out some program of reforestation there.