BANGALORE: Compensating for the loss of tree cover which had to be chopped off for the sake of new concrete structures inside its campus, the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), GKVK has taken up a year long tree planting campaign for re-vegetating the campus. The campaign was launched on Wednesday.Inaugurating the campaign, Minister for Forests, CH Vijayshankar, said, “UAS can take the lead in guiding farmers and also the government for planting saplings and conserving the biodiversity.”“A mass movement for planting saplings at villages making farmers self-sufficient and self-sustained should be started. Just planting saplings is not enough. Those who are trying to restore the green cover by planting these saplings should have a clear vision for next 100 years,” he added.He further requested that banned plants like eucalyptus and acacia should not be planted as it is not good for the environment, birds as well as animals and stressed upon the plantation of saplings which are beneficial and strong. Meanwhile, to mark the opening of the tree planting campaign, the Minister planted a ‘honge’ sapling ( bio-fuel plant ) along the campus roadside.Explaining the campaign, K Narayana Gowda, Vice Chancellor, UAS, said, “The students and faculties from various departments have been divided into eight different groups and have been alloted separate plots and blocks for tree planting. It is the responsibility of the groups to maintain and develop their blocks. We are also concentrating on planting endangered varieties and those with medicinal values.”“A lot of trees had to be chopped off for constructing new building. So now for another one and half months we will be planting saplings rigorously to compensate for the loss,” he added.This is also a major step to maintain the bio-heritage tag of the campus conferred by the Karnataka Biodiversity Board, asserted Gowda.
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