Ramanath Rai lays Foundation Stone for Tree Park
Udupi: The foundation stone for the tree park was laid by Forests and Environment Minister B Ramanath Rai at Badagabettu near Manipal here on Monday, August 22.
Speaking to the media persons minister Ramanath Rai said that the park will come up on 1 acre of land in Badagabettu at a cost of Rs 1.30 crore. We have failed to maintain the balance of nature. There is a need to conserve the forest. The main objective is developing a tree park is to spread awareness on the importance of a green cover, conservation of biodiversity and also to promote the love for nature. The Forest Department will be providing a walking track, toilets, and a children’s park in the tree park. We are also developing trekking path in the park and within a year, work will be completed.
The Forest Department has taken up sandalwood conservation in the state. ‘Siri Chandanavana’ would be implemented in the State to boost sandalwood cultivation. The scheme is aimed at raising new sandalwood plantations, and at protecting and maintaining the natural sandalwood-growing areas in the State. Already Siri Chandanavana park has been implemented in Veerakamba in Dakshina Kannada district. In Udupi district, it will be made in Vandaru, he added.
The forest department has already informed the rural development minister that each gram panchayat in a district can raise 2,000 to 5,000 saplings under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Corporate companies will be requested to join hands with the government, under their CSR activities towards environment conservation, he added.
Normally peoples representatives make the public wait while they arrive for any functions. But Minister Ramanatha Rai laid the foundation stone for the tree park without making the public and the media persons wait. The programme was scheduled at 11:00 am but the minister laid the foundation stone at 10:30 am. When media persons asked the reason, Rai said that the chief minister has called for an emergency meeting in Bengaluru. I need to attend the meeting so we completed the foundation stone laying ceremony half an hour earlier.