The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : 6,000 plants sold in one hour at ‘Hasiru Sante’

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Monday, Oct 26, 2009
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6,000 plants sold in one hour at ‘Hasiru Sante’

Staff Reporter

BBMP and others host a ‘festive green morning’

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

CYNOSURE OF ALL EYES: Faces of Jnanpith award-winning poets and writers carved on water melons grabbed all the attention at ‘Hasiru Sante’ in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: In a “festive green morning” hosted by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), 10,000 plants were on sale as a part of “Hasiru Sante”. The “sante” was held opposite Sankey Tank here on Sunday.

As many as 11 varieties of medicinal plants were on sale. Brochures and pamphlets on how to make the best use of these plants were distributed.

“This was a collaborative effort of the BBMP and 12 resident welfare associations (RWAs) as well as non-governmental organisations,” a BBMP official said and added that the Association for People with Disability also participated as it has an active horticultural wing.

“In the first hour of the ‘sante’, 10,000 people arrived and purchased over 6,000 plants,” said a BBMP Horticulture official. The market had been organised keeping medicinal plants and herbs in mind, hoping to spread the awareness about their uses and value.

“We sold about 5,000 medicinal plants for Rs. 2 each,” the BBMP official said and added that they would have “ideally sold them free”. “But we priced them nominally in the spirit of the ‘sante’,” said the BBMP official.

Tree saplings of pongamia, mahogany and neem were also on sale.

Hoping to keep the effort going, the BBMP official said that they were planning to launch a trial website that people could visit if they wanted BBMP to plant medicinal plant saplings in their localities.

Earlier, the “sante” was inaugurated by Katta Subramanya Naidu, Minister for IT, BT, Excise and BWSSB. BBMP Commissioner Bharatlal Meena and Malleswaram MLA Ashwath Narayan C.N. were present. They planted a sapling each to start off the “sante”.

A rainwater harvesting stall specially set up for the occasion was appreciated by Mr. Naidu.

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