Bengaluru : In a first of its kind initiative, The Green School Bangalore (TGSB), a school in Varthur in Bengaluru has got bamboo bicycles made for its students as a part of its “Bamboo 4 Bangalore” program.
“Bamboo has great tensile strength and bamboo bicycles can last for 20 to 30 years. As India’s first zero carbon school, we took this eco-friendly initiative and got around 6 cycles made of bamboo to explore the feasibility of bamboo,” apprised Usha Iyer, Founder & Principal, TGSB.
The three- day Bamboo 4 Bangalore initiative was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister Department of Forest, Environment & Ecology, Govt. of Karnataka, Mr. Eshwar Khandre who rode the bamboo bicycles with grade 8 & 9 students of TGSB in the school campus.
Lauding the initiative by the school, Mr. Khandre said that this was a great way of bringing students close to nature.
The 3 days of Bamboo 4 Bangalore program will see a Bamboo gallery with exhibits made from bamboo, a bamboo summit and a panel discussion by bamboo experts led by Former Chief Conservator of Forests and Chairman Bamboo society of India, Mr Punati Sridhar with expert panelists like Dr Vipin Chawla, Scientist- F, PPPT Div, ICFRE- IWST, Ms Shanthala S, Synergic Wood Technology, Mr Prakriti Prasanna, Founder, Susthira Parisara Abhivruddhi Trust, Mr BLJ Swamy, Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP and Ms Sareena Sikkaligar, IFS, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Rural div. The panel discussion will be jointly moderated by the school head Ms Manju Chakraborty.
Bamboo plants were distributed to all participants, including students and parents on the occasion. Each recipient was encouraged to plant the bamboo in their residential areas or other locations in need. This initiative aims to promote bamboo cultivation and environmental sustainability within the community. It offers a hands-on opportunity for everyone to contribute to greener spaces.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion were Shri Sharath Bacchegowda, MLA, Hoskote & Chairman, Keonics Ltd. Shri Punati Sridhar, IFS (Rtd.) Chairman, Bamboo Society of India and Former PCCF (HoFF), Govt. of Karnataka. Brijesh Kumar Dixit IFS, PCCF, Head of the Forest Force, Govt. of Karnataka. Prabhash Chandra Ray, IFS, Principal Secretary, Forest Department, Govt. of Karnataka. Preethi Gehlot IAS, Special Commissioner, Estates & Forest, BBMP. Ranganathaswamy, DCF, BBMP. Shivashankara N. IAS Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Rural District. Mahesh Sirur IFS, MD, Karnataka Forest Development Corporation. Sareena Sikkaligar IFS, DCF, Bengaluru Rural Divsion. C K Baba, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru Rural Dr. K N Murthy IFS (Rtd.) Executive Director, Bamboo Society of India & Former PCCF, Govt. of Karnataka.
