BANGALORE: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in association with private firms organized a massive plantation drive at the Yelahanka Lake on Saturday with volunteers planting of thousand saplings.
The drive is part of ‘Wake the Lake’ campaign which focuses on rejuvenating dying lakes. Palike officials said the initiative aims at sensitizing the community living around the lake and mobilize their efforts to revive the lake.
BBMP has tied up with the United Way of Bengaluru, a network partner of the 126 years old US based charity-United Way Worldwide, for the purpose. The BBMP has drawn up a mandate clearing encroachments by demolishing as many as 15 buildings on the lake bed and recovering 7 acres and 13 guntas of land worth Rs 3 crores to plant a thousand saplings in an attempt to address this pressing issue of the ‘Garden City’.
Eminent Environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka was also a part of this initiative and encouraged the volunteers through her speech to participate in such causes. The eminent environmentalist recognized world over for her work in planting 284 banyan trees in the city and tending to them single-handedly was the Guest of Honor at the event.
John Devaraj, a renowned art director, choreographed a Puppet-o-Thon with the students to put more enthusiasm for the drive.