Karnataka - Bangalore   

Environmental camp for panchayat members

S. Rajendran

They will be made aware of the need to increase greenery, conserve water

OFF THEY GO: The former Agriculture Minister K. Srinivasa Gowda flagging off the bus taking taluk and zilla panchayat members from Kolar to Bandipur for an environment camp. — Photo: By Special Arrangement

Bangalore: Fifty-odd taluk and zilla panchayat members from Kolar and Chintamani taluks are being put through a novel environmental education programme, which should benefit the revenue subdivisions over a period of time.

The panchayat members left for Bandipur on Friday for a two-day camp where they will be educated on various aspects of tree planting, protecting the tree cover, water conservation and so on. Experts on wildlife and the environment and from the Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute of Rural Development in Mysore are involved in the programme.

The camp was organised on the initiative of Vemgal MLA Krishna Byre Gowda and Chintamani MLA M.C. Sudhakar with support from the former Agriculture Minister K. Srinivasa Gowda, who is the MLA for Kolar. The Forest Department is playing host to the panchayat members. As a follow-up exercise, over one lakh saplings will be distributed in the two taluks soon after the onset of the monsoon.

Mr. Krishna Byre Gowda and Dr. Sudhakar told The Hindu that the camp is another step in the environmental and water conservation campaign in these two taluks. It began two years ago when the two legislators got together to launch a massive tree planting drive, which they felt was the only way to raise the water-table in Kolar district. While the water-table is around 150 ft in neighbouring Bangalore district, it is below 800 ft in Kolar district.

Meetings in villages

The two legislators have been conducting meetings in villages with the panchayat members to get across the message that with good tree cover, the area will get copious rain, which in turn will replenish groundwater.

The camp will deliberate on various issues related to the environment, including tree and wildlife conservation.

It will focus on water conservation and management, which is the biggest challenge facing the people of Kolar district. The camp will highlight the grave peril of environmental degradation and misuse of water resources.

The two MLAs expect the camp to bring about an increased concern for environmental issues among the members of the local bodies who have just been elected for a five-year term.

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