Mysore/Mysuru: Planting of saplings marked the World Environment Day celebrations in the city this morning. The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) celebrated the Day in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and ExcelSoft Technologies by planting saplings at Saalumarada Thimakka Park in Dattagalli.

MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy said that there are 580 parks in Mysuru and the MCC has reached an understanding with the public, corporates and industries to maintain them. There is a policy for park maintenance according to which more than 20 parks have been handed over for regular maintenance.

Supriya Salian, Chairperson, CII said that many corporates and Industries have come forward for maintenance of city parks under the leadership of CII to promote greenery.

Six staff of MCC’s Horticultural wing- Puneeth, Rajashekar, Gangadhar, P. Chandru, Mahadevaiah and Naganna Kalegowda, were felicitated. MCC DC (Administration) M.K.Savitha, CII Vice-Chairman Sam Cherian, H.M. Prashanth of Excelsoft Technologies were present.

District Minister plants sapling

District Minister S.T. Somashekar planted a sapling at a park near Jodi Bevina Mara in Dattagalli Third Stage. It has been planned to plant about 120  varieties of saplings of fruits, flowers and useful trees at the park in the coming days, he said. MLA G.T. Devegowda, In-charge Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, and MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev were present.

At BAI

Members of the Mysuru Chapter of the Builders Association of India (BAI) celebrated the day by planting more than 100 different species of saplings at Bhumika Garden near Yelwal on Hunsur Road.

At Rangayana

 ‘Ranga Honnaru-3’ was held at Rangayana. Chief guest Julie Cariappa, a noted environmentalist from H.D. Kote said that the plants are not just plants but they are the language we communicate and embody our mother earth, which we call ‘Bhudevi’.

Noting that a health ecology is needed for the synergetic life force that we seek, she said that the climate of Mysuru and agro-ecology is generous and diverse. Explaining the beauty and richness of nature, she observed that it is vital for us to have a relationship with Earth, for, without that, we will not be able to draw strength or meaning for our life.

Julie Cariappa also inaugurated ‘Karanth Shilpavana’. Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa said that he will turn Rangayana into a green destination. A 30-minute documentary ‘Bahuroopagala Taayi Bahuroopi’ was screened.

 Award-winning Rangayana staff Santoshkumar Kusnoor, Alur Doddaningappa and Saroja Hegde were felicitated. Green activist K.R. Gurukar was present.

Forest Department

Meanwhile, the Forest Department this morning launched ‘Bittotsava-2022’, a week-long seed planting drive across the district, under the Social Forestry initiative. The theme for the drive is ‘Let us plant seed and grow forests.’

Yesterday, Head of Forest Forces (HOFF) R.K. Singh formally launched the drive by planting a sampling at Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram here.

APCCFs Jagatram and  B.P. Ravi, CF Dr. Malathi Priya, DCFs K. Kamala Karikalan, Dr. V. Karikalan, Deep J. Contractor, Rudran, Seema, Prasanna, Ravindran and Sridhar, ACFs Rangaswamy and Shivaram, RFOs Prashanth, K. Surendra and others were present.