The Greater Bengaluru Authority’s (GBA) plan to plant 64,000 saplings in collaboration with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) has hit a roadblock, with field verification by the corporations finding only 67 of the 394 applications feasible.

According to data available with The Hindu, the GBA saw a massive response to the community plantation drive, with corporations receiving 394 applications seeking 54,623 saplings.

However, not all applications met the criteria set by the GBA. Of the total number of saplings sought, 14,846 were for areas falling outside the GBA’s jurisdiction. When field verification was carried out for the remaining applications, only 67 applications seeking 5,530 saplings fulfilled all the criteria, including minimum area requirements, minimum sapling requirements and sapling specifications.

A source in the GBA said RWAs were very excited, but most of the places they identified had narrow lanes, concreted surroundings, drain-line hindrances and other issues. “We are already witnessing hundreds of tree falls, and this year in particular, we have had over 1,000 trees uprooted despite a weak monsoon. We are being specific about locations and dimensions to ensure these trees do not make streets unsafe,” the officer said.

However, individuals seeking saplings have shown significant interest, with 3,265 saplings sought, underscoring the growing interest among citizens in increasing the city’s green cover.

Corporations to identify spots

As a mandatory exercise, Bengaluru’s civic bodies have to plant one lakh saplings every year. However, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda recently criticised officials for the exercise remaining on paper and not translating into action on the ground. This led to the launch of the citizen-participation plantation drive.

Under the Bengaluru Hasiruru banner, Mr. Gowda announced the drive, which aimed to plant 64,000 saplings across the city. As the applications fell short, a GBA official said the corporations have now been tasked with identifying locations for planting the saplings as part of this year’s quota.

“The civic bodies have been identifying places near lakes and along wider roads. Plantation will now be taken up at the corporation level, and the responsibility for maintenance will also rest with them,” the official said.

Citizen participation crucial

Another official pointed out that citizen participation is crucial to preserving the city’s green cover. The collaboration with citizens announced earlier by the Minister was a good model for ensuring the maintenance of trees. However, there is currently no plan to reopen registrations for citizens, the official said.

“It will be better if the maintenance of saplings is given to citizens because accountability and transparency will be higher. There will be collective opposition even if someone wants to axe a tree. Such a model will curb the illegal felling of trees in the future to a great extent,” he said.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has permitted the demolition of an 18-story wing of a tower in an apartment complex in southeast Bengaluru after it tilted.

Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao on Thursday convened a meeting with Bengaluru South City Corporation officials after a private builder applied for demolition permission. Mr. Rao told The Hindu that there was no major tilt but only a minor issue, following which the builder had applied for permission. The permission has now been granted, he said.

According to GBA sources, the wing slated for demolition is one of the five wings of the tower. The wing comprises 49 dwelling units, none of which have been occupied so far. The builder has been directed to ensure all safety measures at the site, although no dwelling units are occupied.

With voter mapping ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls progressing at a slower pace in Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) areas compared to several other districts in Karnataka, GBA Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao said efforts would be intensified to improve coverage and asserted that the current level of mapping would not affect the revision process.

Date of freezing

As per directions issued by the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, the E-Roll (digital version of the official voter list used by the Election Commission of India) will be frozen on June 16. Pending Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8 – used for new voters, NRI voters, objections and upgradation, respectively – will be disposed of before the freeze date, Mr. Rao said.

“Mapping is just a procedure to make the work easy and simplified for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and electors. Enumeration form will be given to every one, based on which the procedure will be taken forward. Mapping percentage, in no way, will affect the SIR exercise,” he said during a press conference on Thursday.

He said that work is under way to map the 2025 electoral roll and progeny with the 2002 electoral roll as part of preparatory activities and all necessary steps would be taken to ensure the inclusion of eligible voters.

Role of political parties

Political parties have been allowed to participate in the process by submitting up to 50 forms a day to the BLOs until publication of the draft electoral roll. Following publication of the draft roll, the political parties will be permitted to submit not more than 10 forms a day, Mr. Rao said.

He clarified that only government department and individuals associated with government would be roped in for any kind of support or coordination. The maximum enumerators, he said, would be roped in from the Education department.

Stormwater drains rectified

Responding to concerns over roads damaged during the recent spell of rains despite the GBA’s preparedness measures, GBA Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao said most of the major stormwater drains that had previously contributed to flooding had been rectified. As a result, the city did not witness any major flooding incidents this time, he said.

While acknowledging that some issues did emerge following the rains, he maintained that these were confined to specific localities rather than being citywide and added that mitigation works are continuing. “The GBA will come up with a plan to address flooding in vulnerable areas,” he added.