BBMP to provide funds to Forest dept if it develops parks on its lands: Dy CM DK Shivakumar

BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) would provide funds to the Forest Department if it comes forward to develop forest land in Bengaluru on the lines of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh.

Speaking at the World Environment Day event at the Palace Grounds, he said, “If the Forest Department develops its land parcels as parks on the lines of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh, it would benefit the public and save forest lands from encroachment.”

“We all need to realise that land doesn’t belong to us, but we belong to Earth. We can’t exploit Mother Earth, ignoring the future. The government is committed to protecting our land, water and nature. We must realise that we are there only when Earth is there,” he said.

“All of us have to take an oath to plant at least one tree in our lifetime. When I became the Bengaluru Development Minister, I introduced a scheme in which every student adopts a plant. As many as 50,000 plants were planted as part of this scheme, and the students are nurturing them,” he said.

“We have instructed schools to form a ‘climate action club’ comprising 25 students in each school. We need to think about our planet as pollution is increasing rapidly,” he added.

Apart from this, Shivakumar also launched a sharp critique against the BJP, accusing them of using the recent Chinnaswamy stadium stampede for political mileage. Shivakumar alleged that the BJP has a pattern of exploiting tragedies.

“They are specialists in doing politics over dead bodies. They have been doing this brand of politics for a long time,” he said.

Responding to a reporter’s question about BJP protests demanding accountability from the Chief Minister and himself, he said, “Do we need to carry the BJP on our shoulders for taking a high ground and criticising the government on the stampede? Who is responsible for the stampedes in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and many railway stations across the country? More than hundred people died in a stampede at a UP temple alone. I went to visit plane crash site in Ahmedabad, did I say a word about the Union government?”

Pointing out that the Karnataka government has already acted, he said, “The government has already taken action against many people in this regard. We have also formed a one-man commission to conduct investigation.” He further claimed that Congress has never politicised similar incidents elsewhere. (ANI)