SPOORTHIVANA

Please spare 15 minutes of your time and read the entire article.


For one moment,

• Disconnect from the world around you; completely.
• Let your mind calm; peacefully.
• Now, think only about the word “Environment”.

What pictures come to your mind?
Are they beautiful pictures like the ones you see on the right?

Now, try to recollect what images you actually saw as you travelled along the road today, or the things you heard about environment.

• Chopped trees? Polluted roads?
• Another concrete jungle coming up at rapid speed?
• Disappearing lakes?
• Soaring Temperatures? Erratic rain falls?
• Global Warming?
• Depleting Ozone Layer?

Sadly, today this has become our environment.
With each passing day, we are rapidly moving towards disaster!!

Once the "Garden City", Bangalore, has also not escaped from this trend.

• There are only 2 major parks in Bangalore,
Lal Bagh, established in 1760 and Cubbon Park in 1864.
• For over the years this city has expanded, human and vehicle population have grown exponentially.
• Though it only makes sense to have more lung space,
more greenery in the city to cope with the growth,
unfortunately, that has not happened.
• More over, we are diminishing the existing greenery as well, in the name of progress

Along with other infrastructure, its high time the city gets another big park, and let that be a
"People's Park".

Most of us are aware of this problem, but find ourselves helpless.
What is the solution to all these environment problems?
Solution is a tree.
Wondering how a single tree can solve all these problems?
Read along,

• Tree evolves itself by adjusting to the changes of
  nature.
• Gives shelter to innumerable birds, insects and animals.
• Absorbs poisonous gases that heat up the earth.
• Prevents soil erosion, preserves moisture and enriches     fertility of the land.
• Gradually and silently it restores the complete eco-
  system & solves environmental problems

Grows as a gigantic, marvelous creation that stands for several years as your live monument!!

Ok agreed, but where is space for trees?

• There is very little scope for growing trees in the city.
• No space along the roads, no space in public areas.
• People are scared to grow trees adjacent to their
buildings for reasons like, roots and branches encroaching the premises, vaastu prohibitions etc.,
• People lead a fast life and live in flats.
• No time or space for individual gardens

With this background, Parisara, an Environment Protection Organization and a Registered NGO spoke to different sections of people about these issues.

Feedback was that people are aware of the issues are willing to do something about it.

But people need directions, guidance and infrastructure to grow trees.

With this feedback, Parisara set out to search for a suitable land for planting and maintaining trees.

• It was not possible to get space with in city limits
• Found around 300 acres catchment area around Thippagondanahalli reservoir, on Magadi Road, around 35 Kms from Bangalore City, at the confluence of rivers Arkavathi and Kumudvathi
• This area belongs to BWSSB [Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board] and 20% of water supply for Bangalore city's consumption is done by this reservoir.
• After discussions and analysis, BWSSB earmarked 300 acres of the protected land to Parisara and Memorandum of Understanding
• The Govt. of Karnataka, vide GO No. UDD 73 MNI 05 dated 18/04/2005, approved this project and designated Parisara as the lead organisation to implement the tree growing project

      Thus started the project

      “SPOORTHIVANA”

      Woods of Inspiration

Spoorthivana was started on 26th June 2005
with a mission
• To grow trees with public participation.
• To spread public awareness about ecology.
• To create a live museum for future generations.
• The Partners in this project are BWSSB, Govt. of Karnataka and Parisara Organisation.
• It was inaugurated by Vijay Gore, Additional Chief Secretary (Retd), Govt. of Karnataka, Chiranjeev Singh, Development Commissioner (Retd), Govt. of Karnataka, S.K. Pattnayak, Ex-Chairman, BWSSB and President, Spoorthivana Advisory Committee.

This project works completely on public participation.

• Any individual can participate by adopting a sapling on any day or on any occasion.
• You can contribute an amount for Rs. 500/- through DD/Cash or Cheque (for Bangalore city only) for a sapling.
• The sapling will be planted in your or your
beloved name & will be maintained by Spoorthivana team.
• The entire infrastructure required for the plant, like rain water harvest structures, fences, pits; security etc is provided and maintained by Spoorthivana team.
• Each contributor will be given a certificate and Id Card from Spoorthivana team.
• Each sapling will be given a unique number & the details will be updated in the website - www.spoorthivana.org
• The contributors can visit spoorthivana & enjoy nature.

Among others, today Spoorthivana team consists of BWSSB chairman, environmentalists, journalists, Retd IAS officers, agriculture science professors namely Lata Krishna Rao, Eshwar Prasad, Vijay Gore, Chiranjeev Singh, Naghesh Hegde, Bala Krishna Gowda.


All through the year we have got good response and have completed planting in more than 10 acres of land.

Viji as a volunteer not only planted trees on her part, but also worked on the concept of “Corporate Parks”

Corporate Park Scheme:

• An hectare of land is blocked for the company and named after the company
• 170 trees can be planted in one hectare.
• The company pays for the infrastructure cost which is Rs.1 Lakh for one hectare. Infrastructure includes fencing, rain water harvesting structures, labour, etc.,
• Interested employees can plant saplings in the reserved block by paying Rs 500/- per sapling.
• Saplings will be planted in the name of the employee.
• Each donor will be given a certificate of participation from Spoorthivana. They will also be given ID cards to visit the Spoorthivana any time after the inauguration.

When this project and concept was explained to Management of Alcatel-Lucent India Ltd. where Viji works, the response was overwhelming.

• On 7th August 2007, Alcatel-Lucent Park at Spoorthivana was inaugurated.
• Donations for number of saplings exceeded 170
• Alcatel-Lucent has planned for extension of their hectare.

With this the first Corporate Park at Spoorthivana was built.

Now we are trying to bring in more companies to Spoorthivana.

The aim of Spoorthivana is to:
• To uplift spoorthivana project into a “tree revolution”
• To arrange for adventure camps & training on ecology
• To form eco clubs at colleges & offices across the city to create awareness about ecology and propagate the concept of spoorthivana
• To bring more & more sections of society into this project
• To establish, more corporate parks, college parks, school parks
• Encourage people to develop their own spoorthivanas in their localities

If you are convinced about this project, come and plant saplings:
• In your name
• In your beloveds’ name
• On birthday, marriage anniversary, death anniversary
• Or on any day, do we need a reason?
• As someone rightly said, “The best time to grow trees was 20 years ago & the second best time is NOW”
• Grow trees before it is too late!!

• Do your bit to spread the word about this project.

Thanks a lot for sparing time to read this article.