Puttur: With limited staff on hand, government schools in Nettanige Mudnur Zilla Panchayat constituency in Puttur taluk were finding it difficult to bring saplings from nearby government nurseries and plant them on their premises as part of a State government programme.

Understanding the problem, Anita Hemanth Shetty, zilla panchayat member, took an initiative to supply saplings to 48 government schools in the constituency. She also initiated a process to form “green and water warriors” in each of these schools, who will maintain these saplings. These teams will also try to create awareness about cleanliness and recharging of ground water.

During a review of Koti Vruksha Andolona, a State government campaign, Ms. Shetty said that headmasters and other staff members of government schools in her constituency told her about their difficulty in getting saplings on their own. “I decided to take up the task of supplying saplings to these schools,” she said.

A minimum of 20 saplings have been planted in each school. As many as 80 saplings have been planted at Government Higher Primary School in Padumale, the birth place of revered folk twins Koti and Chennaya. Among the saplings that were provided include sapota, gauva, mango, and coconut. Schools were also provided saplings of sandalwood, punarpuli and sangvani trees.

These saplings were procured from nurseries of the Forest Department.

Ms. Shetty said that members of “green and water warriors” would coordinate with other students in taking care of the saplings.