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Hans India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
No compromise on sustainable development: Minister Khandre
Bengaluru: The state government is committed to sustainable development that meets today's needs without compromising the interests of future generations, said Karnataka's Minister for Forest, Ecology, and Environment, Eshwar B. Khandre. Inaugurating the first conference of the Karnataka Forest, Wildlife, and Climate Change Foundation at a private hotel in Bengaluru, the minister stressed the importance of balancing modernization, economic progress, and environmental conservation. 'We must think about protecting natural resources, conserving energy, promoting reuse, and controlling carbon emissions while we pursue economic growth,' Khandre highlighted the impact of climate change and global warming on nature, adding that increasing green cover is the only viable solution. The minister revealed that Bengaluru's green cover is far below ideal levels — ideally, there should be seven trees per person, but the city has fewer than one tree for every seven people. With the city's population approaching 1.5 crore, Khandre warned against allowing Bengaluru to become a 'gas chamber' like Delhi. To address this, he has directed officials to study ways to expand green cover in the city. Plans include a new 153-acre biodiversity park at Madappanahalli near Yelahanka, costing Rs 250 crore, and converting unused HMT land into another large park through legal measures.'While Lalbagh and Cubbon Park were created over a century ago, Bengaluru hasn't seen a new major park in 150 years,' he said, urging corporate institutions to support these World Elephant Day, Khandre noted Karnataka's deep connection with elephants, from the grandeur of the Mysuru Dasara Jumbo Savari to human-wildlife conflict. 'Elephants have given the state both fame and fear,' he Force Chief Meenakshi Negi stated that the foundation aims to effectively utilize CSR and CER funds for forest and environmental conservation.
The Hindu
13-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Institutional bodies must come together to prevent Bengaluru from becoming a gas chamber like Delhi: Khandre
Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) urged institution bodies across various sectors to join hands with the government to increase Bengaluru's green cover. Inaugurating the first stakeholders conclave of the Karnataka Forest, Wildlife, and Climate Change Foundation, he said, 'For a person to live comfortably, there should be seven trees per person, but in Bengaluru, there isn't even one tree for every seven people. The city's population is approaching 1.5 crore. To prevent the capital from becoming a gas chamber like New Delhi, institutional bodies must join hands to increase the city's green cover.' More green space He added that officials have already been instructed to study ways to increase Bengaluru's green cover. 'Lalbagh and Cubbon Park were created over a century ago, but in the last 150 years, no other large park has come up in Bengaluru. Now, at Madappanahalli near Yelahanka the government is developing a 153-acre biodiversity park at a cost of ₹250 crore. Institutional bodies must cooperate to make this a reality,' he added. He also said that the government is committed to reclaim the forest land given to Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT). 'In the 1960's, land was given to HMT for setting up an industry. Now that the industry has shut down. We will reclaim this land and set up another large park, and legal action is also being taken towards this,' he said. Smart tree tag Vijay Mohan Raj, principal secretary (Ecology and Environment) making a presentation on the Climate Change Mandate made a presentation on Smart Tree Tag, an initiative to connect greening efforts to the smartphone revolution. 'Every sapling planted will have a digital existence (tagging information like species, year of planting, owner of the plant). The aim is to involve corporates, philanthropists and passionate individuals in the greening mission,' he said. He also spoke on the Bengaluru tree estimation, a citizen-science initiative for Bengaluru. 'The objective of this initiative is to identify every individual tree in the city with a physical tag and attribute to an online presence. To calculate the worthiness of trees in terms of oxygen generation, identify the key species and neighbourhoods which are carbon-surplus, carbon neutral and carbon deficit,' he said.
News18
12-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Bengaluru needs more parks like Lal Bagh, Cubbon: Minister Eshwar Khandre
Last Updated: Bengaluru, Aug 12 (PTI) Karnataka's Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre said on Tuesday that centuries have passed since the creation of Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park and that Bengaluru needs more green spaces like them. He was inaugurating the first conference of the Karnataka Forest, Wildlife, and Climate Change Foundation at a private hotel here. 'Even after 150 years, there hasn't been another major park in Bengaluru like Lal Bagh or Cubbon Park," said the minister. Khandre highlighted the impacts of climate change and global warming on nature, and said increasing green cover is the only solution before us. 'Officials have been instructed to study how to increase green cover in Bengaluru city. While one person requires seven trees to live comfortably, the current situation in Bengaluru is that there is only one tree for every seven people," said the minister. He noted that with the capital's population nearing 1.5 crore, it is time for drastic measures. 'Corporate institutions should come forward and join hands to increase the city's green cover and prevent it from becoming a gas chamber like Delhi," he added. He said a private-public partnership would benefit projects like the biodiversity park being planned on a 153-acre site at Madappanahalli near Yelahanka. According to him, the estimated budget for the biodiversity park is nearly Rs 250 crore, which will stretch the resources of the state. 'So, corporate institutions can come forward and support us to make this a reality," he added. The park is being established in the land that was given to HMT in the 1960s to establish an industry. 'Now that the industry has shut down, the land in HMT's possession remains forested because it cannot be converted for any other purpose. The government is committed to reclaiming this land to establish another major park and a legal battle is underway for this purpose," he added. He also said the Congress-run state government's goal is to pursue sustainable development to meet today's needs without compromising the interests of future generations. 'While we talk about modernisation, development, and the nation's economic progress, we must also consider environmental protection, resource conservation, fuel savings, recycling, and controlling carbon emissions," added Khandre. Speaking at the event, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Meenakshi Negi said Karnataka Forest, Wildlife, and Climate Change Foundation's objective is to effectively utilise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER) funds for the protection and enhancement of forests, wildlife, and the environment. Renowned cricketer and Forest and Wildlife Ambassador Anil Kumble, philanthropist Rohini Nilekani, and musician Ricky Kej also participated in the event. PTI JR ADB view comments First Published: August 12, 2025, 17:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
