600 Bengalureans come together to make 1 lakh seed balls in 3 hours

BENGALURU: A greener future is what brought together about 600 Bengalureans, cutting across age groups, at KR Puram on Sunday. Within three hours they prepared around one lakh seed balls, which will go on to increase the green cover in Western Ghats in the coming years, said the organisers.
The event was organised by SayTrees whose members will sow the seed balls in the forests of Kodagu from next week in coordination with the forest department.
Seed balls are a mixture of soil and manure with one or more seeds inside.
SayTrees — a group of ordinary people determined to protect the environment — has been actively making seed balls since 2007 and have sown them in different parts of the state.
Many varieties: Seed balls of eight different varieties of seeds, including banyan, peepal and tamarind, were made on Sunday.
“Last year more than thousands of trees were damaged due to floods. We want to bring back the lost greenery,” said Shashank Sharma, one of the members of SayTrees.
The seed balls will be thrown in Western Ghats, especially Kodagu district. “We want to involve our locals from Kodagu and toss these seed balls,” added Sharma.
Last year, SayTrees had made thousands of seed balls and sown them in Chintamani and Bagepalli.
Priya Sharath, a resident of HSR Layout, said seed balls help in faster growth of the lost green spaces. “In hilly regions, there are special trees that are required. We have actually carried out research, based on which these seed balls are prepared,” added Sharath.
Avantika K, a class 4 child, was thrilled while preparing the seed balls.
“This is the first time I’m making them. The mud I was using to make seed balls had little worms and it was fun,” she said.
Santosh Kumar, deputy conservator of forests, Kodagu, told TOI, “They might have talked to the DFO about it. But if needed, we will give them permission.”