Mundgod: ‘Namma Kanasina Mundgod’ Forum has planned to celebrate World Environment Day distributing saplings to each house, and exhorting citizens to take care of them like their child. The forum has taken up the initiative to mitigate the problems arising out of imbalance in the environment.

Forum members, led by Kiran Hulagur, Raghavendra Naik, an engineer and industrialist Palekar, have bought more than 800 saplings belonging to more than 20 varieties from Kiravatti Nursery, and propose to plant them neatly. Some of these plants include ‘Mahaghani’, ‘ Parijata’, ‘ almond’, and others.

“More than 200 pits have been dig up at the burial ground and First Grade College located on Hubballi Road in the town. The process of planting the saplings would begin on Tuesday, as part of Environment Day celebrations,” Kiran said.

Stating this was not mere formality, Kiran said, these saplings would be taken care of seriously with the help of forest department officials. The guidance of the officials will be taken in acquiring knowledge about proper method of planting the saplings, and proper methods of growing and preserving them. “Our objective is to see that the saplings planted this year, grow to become big trees next year,” he added.

Raghavendra Naik stated that Katur Range Forest Officer K Mahesh has been extending help in taking care of the saplings. “We want to take the initiative in planting trees, before encouraging others to take up the initiative,” he opined. “All preparations have been made to plant more than 600 saplings in Indur area. Programmes are planned to create awareness among farmers,” Ashok Palekar said.