Society should be inspired to plant saplings to the extent possible on barren and fallow land, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies G.R. Anil has said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the district-level World Environment Day celebrations in association with Haritha Keralam Mission at Manikkal panchayat on Wednesday.
The Minister said planting even one sapling at one’s house or in the surroundings could be one of the best gifts to the future generations.
A number of programmes were being implemented as part of ‘Puzhayozhukum Manikkal’ project. Fruit trees that were once common but are now difficult to find should be restored and this could lead the way to production of value-added projects.
Haritha Keralam Mission vice chairperson T.N. Seema, who was the chief guest, said that with desertification on the rise in the world, every activity that protected the earth and our future was precious. ‘Pachathuruthu’ (green islands), a project of the Haritha Keralam Mission in association with local bodies to green fallow lands, would be an asset to Kerala’s efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, she said. Manikkal grama panchayat president Kuthirakulam Jayan presided.
An initiative to plant bamboo along 14 km of riverbank as part of the ‘Puzhayozhukum Manikkal’ project was also launched on the occasion. Fifteen types of bamboo will be used.
In another function at the Civil Station, District Collector Geromic George planted a tree at the Gandhi Park. Additional District Magistrate Premji C. and other officials at the Collectorate attended the function.
Published - June 05, 2024 11:30 pm IST
