Mysore/Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has given a call to the people to take active part in maintaining green cover, especially in the wake of recent sweltering heat, under which the people of the country had to reel in for months.

He was speaking after inaugurating ‘Laksha Vruksha Yojane,’ organised by H.V. Rajeev Sneha Balaga and Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) B.C. Trust, at KSOU Convocation Hall in city this morning.

“Mysuru is known as a Pensioner’s Paradise and Bengaluru as Garden City, but the excess heat this time posed a greater challenge to the sobriquets, with maximum temperature exceeding 40 degree Celsius. Similar was my experience, when I had been to Delhi and was fretted to step out of the room. This drastic change in weather pattern calls for the participation of every individual in plantation drives, to maintain a fine balance with afforestation and growing population rate,” he said.

The overall forest cover should be 30 percent, but now it is in the range of 19 to 20 percent, the CM added.

Quoting the lines of Mahatma Gandhi who had once said, “The Earth has enough resources to meet the needs of all but not enough to satisfy the greed of even one person”, CM Siddaramaiah said: “Government has also set a target to plant five crore saplings in the State this year. But, the Forest Department officials claim 80 percent of the saplings survive, but in reality, it is different, as not much saplings will be left to seen later.”

Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre, who launched the distribution of saplings as part of the programme, said that a target has been set to plant 25 crore saplings in the State in the next five years.

In his opening address, Khandre lauded the initiative of the Balaga, which has been involved in Laksha Vruksha Campaign from the year 2019 and thanked them on behalf of the Forest Department.

“Nowadays, there are discussions on climate change and we all hold responsibility towards conserving the environment, for the survival of the mankind, by checking any activities against the nature in the coming days,” said Khandre.

Referring to the recent heat situation, due to which the people had to suffer for two months, Khandre said: “If such a situation continues, the survival of animals would be doubtful. The changes in climate can be attributed to the greed among ourselves, as we indulge in rampant destruction of natural resources in the name of development.”

“Our ancestors were worshipping nature, but now it’s a vice-versa situation. The forest is being destroyed and taking all these into cognisance, all should resolve to save and nurture the environment,” appealed Khandre.

Saying that, a target has been set to plant 11 lakh saplings in Mysuru district this year, with the early arrival of monsoon, Khandre informed that, even during the previous year, 20 lakh saplings were planted. But what counts more is, caring for the plants, rather than merely planting them.

Suttur Mutt Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji and Kundur Mutt Seer Dr. Sharat Chandra Swamiji graced the event.

District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa released ‘Sasya Sambhrama’ booklet. Minister for Veterinary and Sericulture K. Venkatesh, KPCC Working President and MLA Tanveer Sait, KSOU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sharanappa V. Halse and journalist Amshi Prasanna Kumar were present.