Both the mowing of grass and brush cutting is happening to within an inch or so of the ground, rendering the lawn and other areas bare and brown. This would lead to, amongst other things, more wasteful loss of soil moisture directly, than that by plant transpiration which is controlled. Transpiration at least leads to carbon fixation and growth. Water evaporation and loss from the soil surface is of benefit to none and is just wasteful, which could be better utilised by plants.
The benefits of the mass blooming of herbs is also lost which would benefit pollinators like bees and boost their populations. The loss of this greenery would also reduce insects and other biota which would have been a part of the food web there otherwise. This would disadvantage the bird life there too.
There needs to be an immediate map based transparent management plan for the herbs, shrubs, grass and ground cover of Lalbagh. This should be a plot by plot plan which is debated and well considered before implementation. Ad hoc efforts would only fall victim to individual whims and fancies.
There needs to be a serious re-purposing of Lalbagh which gives priority to the education of the visitor and the student alike. For we should remember that the largest body of tomorrow's technical manpower comes from today's cities and we cannot fail in the education of the youth of today. To maintain it like an open playground for people to waddle all over is a banal and wanton mal-utilization of a valuable green space of Bangalore. The urban green sensitises us to the life around us after all!
~ in good faith, krishnamb.
making free time is culture!
