BJP targets CM Shivakumar, calls Rs 54 crore ‘Green Bengaluru’ drive a failure

Bengaluru, July 8 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government, alleging that its Rs 54-crore ‘Green Bengaluru’ plantation drive has turned into a failure, with thousands of saplings reportedly drying up due to poor maintenance.

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar spearheaded a mass urban greening initiative in Bengaluru that successfully planted 15 lakh saplings in just 12 hours. The monumental drive, aimed at combating the Urban Heat Island effect, officially secured a Guinness World Records title.

The historic campaign took place on June 27, coinciding with the 517th birth anniversary of Bengaluru’s founder, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda.

In a statement, senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka shared photographs purportedly showing dried-up saplings and accused the government of prioritising publicity over implementation.

Ashoka alleged that while crores of rupees were spent on the plantation campaign, advertisements, press conferences and promotional videos, the saplings were allegedly left unattended after the launch of the project.

The BJP leader claimed that many saplings had been dumped near drains without adequate watering or maintenance, resulting in their death. It accused CM Shivakumar of treating governance as a “photo opportunity” rather than ensuring effective execution of development projects.

Questioning the government’s handling of the initiative, Ashoka alleged that the Congress government’s approach was to announce large projects, spend heavily on publicity and fail to ensure proper implementation. The party further questioned how the government could be trusted with major infrastructure projects if it had allegedly failed to maintain a tree plantation programme.

He also criticised the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the party speaks about environmental protection and good governance while failing to implement its own initiatives in Karnataka.

Ashoka demanded that the state government disclose how funds earmarked for the maintenance of the saplings were utilised, identify the contractor responsible for the alleged lapse, and fix accountability for the reported failure of the plantation drive.

The Karnataka government had not responded to the allegations.

–IANS

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