Karnataka plans drive to increase green cover

The Karnataka government will launch a campaign – Koti Vruksha Andolana – on July 2 to increase the green cover in the State.

Speaking at the World Environment Day celebrations in Mangaluru on Friday, State Forests and Environment Minister B Ramanatha Rai said the campaign to plant more trees in the State would be in force from July 2 to10. The government has sought the help of corporates and non-governmental organisations to make the programme a success, he said.

To conserve lakes in the State, the government has set up the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority. As of now, 12 corporates have come forward to conserve and develop lakes in the State. This move will help revive water bodies across the State, he said.

Stressing the need for wildlife protection, Rai said that the initiatives of the Karnataka government have helped in protecting tigers and elephants in the state. As of now, Karnataka has around 6000 elephants and 418 tigers, he said.

S Nandakumar, Chief Environmental Officer, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, said that zero liquid discharge is the need of the hour to prevent industrial pollution in the State.

Mangaluru generates 60 MLD (million litres a day) of sewage effluents and 300 tonnes of solid waste a day, he said.