A campaign demanding that <keyword id="6354321" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="Orion">Bengaluru</keyword>'s <keyword id="1281808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="hesaraghatta" source="Orion">Hesaraghatta</keyword> area, which has the last remaining large grassland expanse, be declared a conservation reserve, has gathered steam with nature lovers, wildlife activists, and NGOs pitching in to save it from becoming a concrete jungle. The State Wildlife Board was expected to take a call on the fate of the Hesaraghatta grasslands on Monday. However, sources said that the meeting, to have been chaired by Chief Minister <keyword id="50892" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="basavaraj-bommai" source="Orion">Basavaraj Bommai</keyword>, has been deferred and no further communication has been made to environmentalists in this regard. Sources said that the meeting is likely to take place soon. The nature lovers are fearing that the land is likely to be turned into a concrete jungle if a development project is approved in the coming days. The call has been given to join the movement to let the leaders know that they can protect the Hesaraghatta grasslands. The petition in this regard by Jhatkaa.org is supported by 66,813 nature lovers and the public. Talking to IANS, environment activist <keyword id="3754977" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="yallappa-reddy" source="Orion">Yallappa Reddy</keyword> said that he had written several open letters to the Chief Minister over the issue. "The bureaucrats have not let CM <keyword id="233883" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bommai" source="Orion">Bommai</keyword> open those letters, they are finding their ways to dustbin," he alleged. About 3,000 acres of the grasslands have been given to the central horticulture farms, and hundreds of acres have been given to cattle and piggery breeding centres by the state government. These stretches of lands have been put to good use. Apart from this, the remaining stretch has been subjected to all kinds of mutilation, destruction and mining has been the biggest culprit. As a result of these activities, Hesarughatta Lake, which was supplying clean water, has dried, Yallappa Reddy says. Now, the government wants this exploration of remaining land by the real estate sector - which should not happen at any cost, he said. Conservation India is also a partner in this cause and the petition has been addressed to the Chief Minister and the Karnataka State WildLife Board. The petition submitted in this regard said that on the periphery of Bengaluru city is the Hesaraghatta lake bed which spans an area of about 1,912 acres. The 356 acres of the landscape surrounding the lakebed is the last remaining grassland habitat in the Bengaluru region. The plan to protect these grasslands by declaring it a conservation reserve was rejected by the State Board for Wildlife on January 20, 2021, citing commercial reasons. The state Forest Department, along with the Animal Husbandry department, had chalked out a proposal for declaring the 5,010-acre land area as "Greater Hesaraghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve" and placed it before the Board but it was rejected. Around 235 species of birds, some of them listed as endangered or vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, glide across the area's sky. A whopping 400 species of insects, of which nearly 30 have been described as new to science by entomologists, and 100 species of butterflies, including the very rare Lilac Silverline (Cigaritis lilacinus), have chosen this land as their breeding spot. A paper published in 2013 suggests that the lakebed vegetation is in transition. "From being a true aquatic community, the vegetation in the lakebed is undergoing a process of 'ecological succession' and is currently a grassland-savannah-woodland complex," it said. Moreover, the Hesaraghatta tank is one of the two major water reservoirs of the Arkavathy River. And with the Yettinahole river diversion project, lakes like Hesaraghatta would be augmented to provide water to rural Bengaluru. Scientists believe that Hesaraghatta grasslands and surrounding areas are under pressure from various human activities that are bound to increase if any conservation intervention is delayed. The <keyword id="6371973" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="karnataka-high-court" source="Orion">Karnataka High Court</keyword>, following the petition by environmentalists Vijay Nishanth, M.R. Seetharam and others, has given directions to the State WildLife Board and the state government not to step back from declaring the Hesarughatta grasslands as conserved land and make a decision in this regard.

Campaign to save Bengaluru's last remaining grassland gathers ground

<keyword id="6354321" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="Orion">Bengaluru</keyword>, known as the "<keyword id="6357722" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="silicon-valley" source="Orion">Silicon Valley</keyword> of India", is still appreciated for its green cover, and many people still do not know that once it used to be an "air-conditioned city" due to the cool temperature throughout the year. But environmentalists fear that the much-sought-after city is now facing a grave danger owing to the quality of the air. Experts opine that monitoring of air quality in Bengaluru is not being done appropriately. They explained that in the last five years, 25,000 to 30,000 trees have been cut in Bengaluru. Hence, the <keyword id="6527937" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="greenery" source="Orion">greenery</keyword> which would remove the hazardous elements is lost. Talking to IANS, environmentalist and former bureaucrat, A.N. Yallappa Reddy, explained that the air quality of Bengaluru is one of the worst. "About 60 to 70 per cent of kids have lung-related issues. They are given steroids which will make them more prone to diseases like diabetes and obesity. No one is bothered about these developments. It is also not in the agenda of the government and concern is also not seen," he said. Prakruthi Prasanna, who runs <keyword id="15211562" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sustainable-environment-development-trust" source="Orion">Sustainable Environment Development Trust</keyword> (SEDT), which planted 16 lakh plants in Bengaluru, also told IANS that the quality of air in Bengaluru is not at all good. "New Delhi emits 14,000 tons and <keyword id="6354552" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="hyderabad" source="Orion">Hyderabad</keyword> records emission of 2,400 tons of Co2 per day. Thanks to greenery left in Bengaluru in the form of the Cubbon Park, the <keyword id="87536" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lal-bagh" source="Orion">Lal Bagh</keyword> botanical gardens, it is 1,400 tons per day in Bengaluru," he stated. "There is a plan to give readings of air conditions at every traffic signal of Bengaluru. The indicators are being installed. People would come to know the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide at the junction. An app is being readied in cooperation with the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS). It will give an analysis of the damage the existing air conditions can cause," Prakruthi Prasanna explained. The sensors have to be adapted to indicators and in two to three months it will be operative if everything turns out as planned, he said. Yallappa Reddy expressed his concern that equipment which gives readings have not been installed where people's movement and vehicle traffic are high, saying that the entire forecast depends on only three to four computers. "They won't be able to give proper assessment. The air quality of Bengaluru is affected by vehicular traffic and building construction as well as garbage burning," he added. "All these would cumulatively act on <keyword id="15211561" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="solid-particulate-matter" source="Orion">Solid Particulate Matter</keyword> (SPM). The Particulate Matter goes into the lungs and it won't come out and create respiratory issues. It will also lead to bronchitis and even lung cancer," he said. He explained that the government can bring about stringent laws and punishments to stop burning of garbage and littered leaves. The rules should also be framed to regulate building construction. However, polluters enjoy immunity and the authorities do not care about health and social impact, he opined. "The upcoming Deepavali festival would definitely push the air quality in Bengaluru to a new low. People have money and very costly crackers from China with deadly chemicals are in the market. But, the government seems to be not so bothered," explained Yallappa Reddy. "The crackers are not necessary. Diwali is a festival of lights, celebrated through lighting diyas not by bursting crackers. The tradition of burning crackers has been systematically pushed by China. Green crackers are being made with the same chemicals. The government should come forward to impose a 100 per cent ban on bursting of crackers," Prakruthi Prasanna said. T.J. Renuka Prasad, a retired professor of geology and co-ordinator of Bio Park in Jnanabharathi campus, said the <keyword id="60130" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pollution-control-board" source="Orion">Pollution Control Board</keyword> findings and forecast seem to be doubtful. The concerned department would always give a rosy picture. Bengaluru city has had allergic elements from the beginning. With erosion of greenery, it has increased now. The growth of the IT industry has added 60,000 to 70,000 pickup and drop vehicles in Bengaluru. Adding to this, a single person driving a car has become a matter of prestige, he explained. Professor Renuka Prasad said Bengaluru was known as an air-conditioned city earlier. "Our houses didn't have fans, not about affordability, but the weather in Bengaluru was so good. The air quality is affected by chemical disposal to water bodies. Once the water evaporates, it comes into the air and gets into our bodies. The chemical input is increasing day by day which is a concern. The chemical output is either going into the ground or evaporating, both are hazardous," he said. Due to the aggressive planting and raising of greenery in Jnanabharathi campus of <keyword id="2563075" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bengaluru-university" source="Orion">Bengaluru University</keyword>, the temperature in the campus is less than Bengaluru by two to three degrees at any point of time, he explained. The first stream order has gone and second, third and fourth stream orders are vanishing and polluted water is entering storm water drains directly and these storm water drains are also encroached upon or reduced, professor Renuka Prasad said. <h2>Recommended stories: </h2> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="94757044" title="Cement, metals, mining companies are better at environment impact reporting, says study" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="94717452" title="&amp;#39;Rajasthan to be first state to implement green hydrogen policy&amp;#39;, says minister Shakuntala Rawat" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div>

You Searched For "yallappa reddy" and got 2 results

Campaign to save Bengaluru's last remaining grassland gathers ground

IANS

"70% of Bengaluru kids have lung-related issues": environmentalist warns against dangers of breathing Bengaluru air

IANS