Miyawaki forest blooms, thanks to an engineer’s voluntary effort

Hubballi

What was once an empty plot in the developing outskirts of Hubballi has now transformed into a thriving green space, thanks to the relentless efforts of a lone engineer determined to create a healthier future for the community. Manjunath Dodawad, a Junior Engineer with the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), has successfully developed a Miyawaki-style urban forest at Gangotri Park in HDMC Zone-4 through sheer dedication and voluntary service.

The initiative began nearly one-and-a-half years ago following directions from his senior officials and local MLA Arvind Bellad to promote dense afforestation using the Miyawaki method. Although Gangotri Park was not initially part of the official plantation drive, Manjunath took the initiative to convert the vacant land located opposite his residence into a pilot project. Initially, several residents in the layout preferred conventional park features such as lawns and decorative flower beds. 

However, Manjunath convinced them that a dense green forest would provide long-term environmental benefits once the locality became fully urbanised. Spread across nearly 8 to 10 guntas, the park now houses around 200 saplings, including Neem and Honge trees, planted scientifically in accordance with the Miyawaki model.

The saplings were provided by the HDMC With only a handful of houses currently occupied in the layout, the responsibility of maintaining the plantation largely fell on Manjunath himself. From watering the plants to applying fertiliser and monitoring their growth, he personally handled much of the upkeep through “Sh ramadaan”.

Officials and staff from the HDMC Horticulture De partment also extended support in maintaining the greenery and clearing weeds during the initial stages. Unlike modern parks with expensive paved walkways, Gangotri Park’s ground has been designed with natural mud pathways.

According to Manjunath, the idea was to create a natural walking environment that would offer better health benefits, especially for senior citizens As the trees mature and form a dense canopy over the next few years, the park is expected to provide a cooler atmosphere and cleaner air for residents. The natural forest like setting, he believes, will become a sustainable urban lung amid the rapid expansion of concrete structures in the area. 

What began as a small experimental project has now emerged as an inspir ing example of environ mental commitment and civic responsibility, similar kind of Miyawaki forest has been developed at Praja Nagar, Saptagiri Layout and one more area in the zone 4 of the HDMC and it is being maintained by the corporation. 

Manjunath said, the efforts would not have been succeeded without the support of executive engineer Vittal Tubake, super intendent engineer Vijay kumar R and horticulture department executive engineer Feroz.