Date:30/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/30/stories/2008093051600300.htm

Karnataka - Mysore

‘Appoint Saalumarada Thimmakka as honorary tree-watcher’

Staff Correspondent

MYSORE: Her recent visit to Mysore to inaugurate the Dasara publicity jatha has helped ‘Saalumarada’ Thimmakka, who planted over 400 banyan trees along the Bangalore-Nelamangala road, draw the attention of bureaucrats and elected representatives to the problems she is facing in making ends meet.

C.H. Vijayashankar, MP, who participated in the function, was moved by her plight. In a letter, he appealed to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to appoint Ms. Thimmakka as an honorary tree-watcher with a monthly salary of Rs. 2,000.

He said that Ms. Thimmakka had gone about her work for over four decades without fuss or publicity. It was sad that she was finding it difficult to make ends meet despite making a significant contribution to society.

Deputy Commissioner P. Manivannan also promised to make a recommendation to the Government to appoint her as an honorary tree-watcher for her contribution towards preservation and protection of the environment.

The Dasara publicity subcommittee, which initially presented a purse of Rs. 5,000 to Ms. Thimmakka, hiked the amount to Rs. 9,850 to match the number of saplings planted by her.

In order to provide a green touch to the Dasara festivities, beginning on Tuesday, the Dasara publicity subcommittee had invited her to inaugurate the publicity jatha and plant saplings at Curzon Park on Saturday.

Distribution

The district administration had decided to distribute 400 saplings to various schools in the city to educate children on the need to conserve and protect the environment.

The students are supposed to plant them in their school premises, water and nurture them.

Over 150 schoolchildren participated in the symbolic sapling planting programme, and later they went in a procession till Devaraja Urs Road to create awareness among the public on the need to protect the environment.

Speaking in her inimitable style, Ms. Thimmakka said that the trees planted and nurtured by her were like her children, as she did not have children.

Her husband, Chikkaiah, felt that they should make up for it by planting trees.

Appeal

Making it clear to the Government that awards and prizes would not serve the purpose, she appealed for financial assistance for those involved in protection of the environment.

“I have received a number of mementoes, but where can I keep them as I have no decent place to live?”