Efforts should be made to preserve the biodiversity of Nrupatunga Hill in Hubballi, Anant Hegde Ashisara, chairman of Karnataka State Bio-diversity Board, said in Hubballi on Friday.
The Nrupatunga Hill is an asset to the region. Sadly, its biodiversity is reducing. It has to be protected by declaring it as a biodiversity heritage spot. Local waterbodies and flora and fauna should be preserved, he said. He was speaking at a meeting of officers at the Hubballi-Dharwad city corporation.
He asked officers to encourage eco-tourism. It could start with conservation and development of lakes. We have to take steps to preserve waterbodies without damaging their original nature. Steps should be taken to stop waste water entering lakes. Less of concrete should be used to develop the lakes and promote marine life, he said.
He asked officers to retain green cover in the city while implementing smart city projects. Funds should be released to increase green cover, he said. He asked officers to take up afforestation activities by bringing in saplings from private nurseries if needed. Officers have told me that the city corporation has several gardens with a total area of 300 acres. That land should be covered with plants, he said. He asked officers to protect the lake in Sadhanakeri, named after Da Ra Bendre.
Corporation Commissioner Suresh Itnal said the city had taken up afforestation in Tolankere. We plan to plant 50,000 saplings in two months. As many as 120 of the 524 parks and gardens in the twin cities have been developed. The rest will be developed soon, he said. The work was delayed due to problems like revision in the land records of these areas, he said. There were 35 lakes and tanks in the twin cities, but only Unakal lake and Tolankere were under the corporation’s control. They were being developed.
Botanist Keshav Korse asked the corporation to involve citizens in afforestation activities.