Karwar: In a rare incident, a government employee planted ten saplings as an act of apology for destroying plants in Karwar Information Department office premises.

Several trees were planted under the ‘Koti Vriksha Abhiyan’ in Karwar and accordingly eight saplings were planted in the Information Department office premises too on July 9, 2016, by officials and journalists. The forest department had used GPS to document the spots where saplings were planted. Through this system, it was found that at least three saplings planted in the office premises were missing. It was later found that Govind Naik, working as a driver in the department had chopped off these saplings without any valid reason.

Local scribe Achuth Kumar, who claims to have planted these saplings during the event questioned Naik about the same and Naik had rebuked Kumar. Following this, Kumar brought the matter to notice of the forest department. He had stated that he nurtured the emotional bond with the plants and hence the wrongdoer must be punished.

The higher-ups instantly directed the Sirsi forest officials to take note of the issue and act. Taking cognisance of the issue, the forest officials asked Naik to plant 10 saplings as an act of apology for the mistake he committed.