Here’s how Bengaluru can get back the green cover

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We don’t have to wait for the government or the municipal authorities to take the initiative. A few private individuals have already started conducting tree censuses in a few wards of the city. Some tree plantation programs are also undertaken every now and then. However, the scale of the effort required is such that it cannot be left only to private individuals. In most cities around the world, citizens participate as volunteers in such exercises that are carried out by the municipal administration. The municipal administration has to be involved in a concerted and long-drawn effort such as this to bear fruit. Every ward must have a tree committee consisting of residents and municipal officials. The tree committee must oversee the plantation and upkeep of neighborhood and street trees on a regular basis.

Such a mission has convergence with groundwater conservation, disaster prevention, energy conservation, sustainability, biodiversity, and clean air. There must exist several avenues for funding. Moreover, it gives back much more than it takes.