Bengaluru: Green lung in HSR layout charred

Bengaluru: Imagine a forest right in the middle of Bengaluru, a pristine patch of land, with birds chirping and trees growing. HSR layout is home to one such mini forest planted by volunteers dedicated to green living.

But what the mini forest suffered on Saturday was absolutely horrifying. The mini forest, with over 250 saplings, had been set on fire.

The forest is bordered by a garbage dump which is a secondary collection point for the BBMP which is supposed to pick up garbage from there and transport it to landfills outside the city.

Volunteers, who helped plant the forest, are a disappointed lot. Says Durgesh Agrahari of Say Trees: "We started planting the saplings in May 2015, just before the monsoon. We took meticulous care of the forest till 2016 May."

Accoding to Durgesh, "the forest is burned and charred. Luckily all the saplings have survived. We have to now water them everyday for more than a month. It is going to take at least two to three months of intense hard work to ensure that the forest is recovered."

As one drives on the HSR Layour flyover from Bellandur to Silk Board, the forest can be seen bordering a BBMP secondary garbage collection point. When asked who could be responsible for the arson, Durgesh says, "We don't know. It could have been set off by a stray 'Beedi' or a cigarette butt."

This is not the first time that these volunteers have experienced such an atrocity. "Last year another mini forest in Whitefield was set on fire. Only after extensive watering were we able to save that patch of forest."