Karnataka to plant 15 lakh saplings across Bengaluru on Kempegowda Jayanti: CM D.K. Shivakumar

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday announced that 15 lakh saplings will be planted across Bengaluru to mark the 517th birth anniversary of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, the founder of the city. The large-scale plantation drive is part of the state's 'Green Bengaluru' initiative aimed at restoring the city's green cover.

After paying floral tributes to Kempegowda's statue, Shivakumar said Bengaluru has earned global recognition due to the visionary leadership of its founder and stressed the need to preserve the city's ecological balance. He said the government is committed to transforming Bengaluru into a garden city once again through extensive tree plantation.

The Chief Minister also announced plans to develop forest land surrounding Bengaluru into large public parks similar to Cubbon Park, with the objective of increasing green spaces and improving the urban environment.

The plantation drive, spearheaded by the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA), will see native tree species planted using high-density plantation techniques. The initiative aims to reduce the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, create self-sustaining urban forests and develop green spaces around lake buffers, stormwater drains and BDA layouts.

The campaign has been designed as a community-driven movement, encouraging participation from citizens, NGOs, educational institutions and corporate organisations. Kempegowda, a 16th-century chieftain of the Vijayanagara Empire, is widely regarded as the architect of modern Bengaluru after founding the city in 1537.