Lack of manpower proves to be deterrent for B’luru’s tree census

NT Bengaluru

Almost a year on from kicking off the city’s first tree census, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) finds itself a step back after contractors couldn’t finish the job on the given deadlines and a lack of manpower. News Trail initially reported in January that the city’s tree census, four and a half years after it came under the High Court’s purview, was finally set to happen. Speaking to News Trail, DCF BLG Swamy, revealed that three tenders have been cancelled. “Due to a laid-back approach, three agencies had their tenders cancelled last week,” he said.

Swamy also claimed that workers hired by these agencies preferred to take up other jobs, claiming that the nature of work is physically exhaustive “We’re looking to invite college students to help enumerate the trees. New agencies will focus on hiring botanists and other technically sound individuals,” he added. Trees in the city will be marked with paint, with the first three letters of the ward and the number of the tree will be painted. “Names of the trees, its girth, health and its species will be recorded into the server managed by the Government’s remote sensing agency,” he said. With increased rainfall, the city has seen more than 200 trees being uprooted due to strong and gusty winds. “Uprooted trees which were earlier enumerated will be deleted from the final count. A separate column for this will be made,” he stated.

Trees that are grown on private properties will soon be enumerated.“When the enumeration reaches around 75 per cent, we would start inviting owners of properties with more than 50 trees to enumerate it on their own,” Swamy added.

A portal https://kgis.ksrsac.in/treecensus_test is also made where the enumeration of trees is recorded inwards.