Bengaluru, 14 June

The State govenment has set aside Rs 310 crore to beat climate crisis and a greener Bengaluru. The money will be allocated to improve park groundwater levels, creation of new parks, construct 1,000 rainwater harvesting wells, development of existing lakes, and 100 new composting plants to manage park waste sustainably, said Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar during a press conference at Jawahar Bal Bhavan, on Friday.

BBMP is launching a multi-pronged attack on environmental issues with the "Brand Bengaluru" initiative and Bengaluru Climate Action Plan.

Shivakumar said that two lakh more saplings will be planted in Bengaluru by school students this year as part of 'Hasiru Rakshaka' programme.

Speaking to reporters at the World Environment Day 2024 event, organised under the Brand Bengaluru initiative, at Cubbon Park, he said, "School students have already planted 52,000 saplings as part of the Hasiru Rakshaka (saviour of greenery) programme till now. We will tie up with more schools and ensure that two lakh saplings are planted this year." Students can track their sapling's health through the Green Guard mobile app and earn "Green Guardian" certificates for successful care over three years.

“Bengaluru's temperatures rarely used to cross 28 degrees but now it has crossed 36 degrees. Our government has set aside Rs 310 crore for greening Bengaluru City under various departments. The 15th Finance Commission has also allocated Rs 100 crore for environment conservation in Bengaluru. School students should plant and nurture saplings with all the care so that our future is secure," he said.

"About 200 taluks faced severe drought due to lack of rains in the State. Bengaluru too went through water shortage. Programmes like Hasiru Rakshaka will ensure that such droughts don't occur in the future," he said. Salar News