A botanical garden spread over 15 acres and harbouring 290 plant species developed at a cost of over ₹5.6 crore was inaugurated here by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday.
Developed by the Horticultural Department, this is the first botanical garden for Mysuru and the fourth in the State which also includes Lalbagh in Bengaluru.
The development of the Lingambudhi Botanical Garden, as it has been christened, commenced in 2012 and was completed this year and the objective is to create a scientific platform for students, environmentalists, botanists, plant taxonomists etc to study plant species.
The other objectives also include introduction, adaptation to local environment conservation, plant development and propagation of indigenous and exotic plant species. The Horticulture Department will also lay special emphasis on introduction, conservation and development of indigenous plant species including the rare, threatened and endangered species.
A herbarium will also be established for identification and documentation of various plant species besides establishment of a scientific plant centre to record comprehensive information on plants.
Providing details of the background to the development of the Lingambudhi Botanical Garden, the department said that Lalbagh was the first botanical garden to have been established in the State in 1856 during the British rule.
In 2011 the government issued orders to develop five new Botanical Gardens covering an area of 421 acres under the Horticulture Department of which Lingambudhi Botanical Garden is one of them.
The other four under development include Dr. M.H. Mari Gowda Plant Conservation and Research Centre at Doddasagere in Tumakuru which is spread over 228 acres; Kannamangala Botanical Garden (East Lalbagh) in Electronics City, Bengaluru (70 acres); Visvesvaraya Botanical Gardens (70 acres) at Chickballapur and Terakanahalli Botanical Garden (22 acres) at Sirsi in Uttara Kannada. The work is in progress with respect to other four botanical gardens, according to Nagaraj, Joint Director, Department of Horticulture.
A note circulated on the Lingambudhi Botanical Garden said that after the decision to develop five botanical gardens, the government constituted a Botanical Garden Development Committee under environmentalist Y.N. Yellappa Reddy and 12 other experts and the Joint Director of Horticulture, Parks and Gardens was made the coordinator. The area was identified abutting the Lingambudhi lake and the thickly grown wild plants, bushes and debris were cleared, survey work carried out and masterplan was prepared.
The work on development of the botanical garden commenced from 2018 onwards to reach the present stage. The note said that at present, the Lingambudhi Botanical Garden has 14 blocks belonging to native and exotic plant species including aromatic plant garden, medicinal and aromatic plant garden, bamboo garden, native plant species garden, cactus and coniferous collection rose garden, arboretum, plumeria garden, minor fruit garden etc.
The botanical garden is next to Lingambudhi Lake which itself is spread over 187 acres and supports 194 bird species most of which also come to roost in the garden.
The garden will remain open to public but it is not meant for recreational purpose or for whiling time but a place to discover, explore and learn. Besides, no decision has been taken yet on levying an entry fee, said the authorities.
Horticulture Minister S.S. Mallikarjun, MLA G.T. Deve Gowda, senior officials from the Horticulture Department, district administration were present.
