College students and environmentalists are on a mission to create an urban jungle in Coimbatore. They have planted around 3,250 saplings of 140 different species around the ecologically sensitive Singanallur tank.

S Sokkalingam, an environmentalist involved in the work, said they plan to set up a different kind of urban forest by using Miyawaki method in which the saplings will grow very fast.

He said that the Singanallur lake which is known for its biodiversity was in a critical state. It was imperative to take efforts to conserve it. They began planting saplings a year ago and have been able to transform it.

He hopes that people will also replicate the model which they have set up and restore other lakes in the city as well.

 Vinny R Peter and Joseph Reginald have also taken significant steps to conserve the lake. They have been visiting the lake for the last 10 years along with their friends and volunteers and have been planting saplings there.

Vinny said that this conservation drive acts as a great opportunity for school students to study about the environment and learn more about urban bio-diversity. She said that they have planted rare varieties of trees and selected only those plants, which will attract birds.