The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Lawyers head for Nandi Hills

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Monday, Jul 14, 2008
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Karnataka - Bangalore

Lawyers head for Nandi Hills

B.S. Ramesh

They take up afforestation programme at the hills

The plan is aimed at arresting the ‘death’ of the rivers
Trees to be planted on 100 acres on the eastern slope

BANGALORE: Nandi Hills or Nandidurga is familiar to people as a hill station about 60 km away from Bangalore. Some also know that the hills are the source of the Arkavathi. But what many people do not know is that the hills are the source of six other river systems.

Apart from the Arkavathi, the other important river systems that trace their origin to Nandi Hills are South and North Pennar (Pinakini) and Palar. Besides, four main sub-tributaries joining the Arkavathy basin are Kumadavathi, Manihalli, Kuttehole and Vrishabhavathi.

Dying rivers

While the catchment area of Arkavathy is 4,357 sq. km., that of Palar is 17,871 sq. km., South Pennar 3,688.16 sq. km and North Pennar 7,145.8 sq. km. Some of the important sub-tributaries of North Pennar are Jayamangali, Kumadavathi, Chitravathi and Papagiri.

Since most of these river systems are running dry and also dying owing to encroachment in the catchment area, the legal fraternity in Bangalore decided to take up a sustained afforestation scheme of the hills and surrounding areas.

Scores of advocates from Bangalore, Chikaballapur and surrounding areas have joined hands to launch a “green” initiative to save the Nandi Hills biosphere. The hills is 4,857 feet above sea level (1,478 metres) and one of the few hill stations near Bangalore.

Advocates from Bangalore and Chickballapur felt that they could initially take up afforestation of the hills to arrest the “death” of the rivers. They also felt that planting trees could not only save the water table in the region but also preserve the hills.

MV’s birthplace

Vivek Reddy, advocate, who spoke to The Hindu on Saturday on behalf of the initiative, said the inaugural programme of the afforestation was held at Muddenahalli, the birthplace of Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Muddenahalli, he said, was chosen as it is at the base of the Nandi Hills.

The initiative has planned to plant trees on 100 acres on the eastern slope face and slope of Devagiri Hills, one of the hills that form part of the Nandi Hills biosphere.

The Forest Department, the Sri Sathya Sai Baba School at Muddenahalli and the Bar Associations of Bangalore and Chickballapur have decided to take up responsibility of afforesting the hill ranges.

Mr. Reddy and other advocates that The Hindu spoke to are emphatic in their views that increased forest or tree cover in and around Nandi Hills would lead to a change in the better for the ecology of surrounding areas, including Bangalore.

They say that the afforestation programme, launched on Saturday, under the leadership of Deepak Verma, Acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, will be a continuing exercise involving advocates, individuals and organisations.

The initiative hopes that more and more people would join the movement to green the Nandi Hills.

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