Mangaluru : After mooting the concept of new “vruksha seve” at the Mahaganapathi Temple, Urwa Stores, during Ganapathi festival here on Friday, activists of the National Environment Care Foundation (NECF) have now decided to knock on the doors of major temples, churches and mosques in the coastal belt to introduce the service for promoting planting of saplings.

Under the “vruksha seve” introduced at the temple on Friday, enthusiasts planted 75 saplings of 21 varieties in its surrounding on the Chathurti day, according to Shashidhar Shetty, secretary, NECF.

The saplings were distributed through the temple. Those who offered “vruksha seve” paid Rs 50 per sapling and got them from the temple. Later, they were planted near the temple surroundings with tags mentioning the name and mobile phone number of those who planted them. Those who have planted would have to water them in summer.

Among the varieties of saplings planted included kokum, tamarind, jackfruit, mango, sandalwood, bilva (bael), atti (fig), and the like. Mr. Shetty said that NECF believed that if people got plants as “prasada” from the temples, the chances of planting and rearing them would be more due to the religious beliefs. NECF would approach well-known temples in the coastal belt to help promote greenery through “vruksha seve”.