Delta region in forefront of Green Tamil Nadu Mission

TIRUCHY: While the state government has been working on increasing the green cover target to reach 33 per cent with target of 23.69 per cent forest cover by 2031, the support and contribution from the central region has been remarkable and each district along with the volunteers have been travelling fast to achieve the target.

Accordingly, the state government plans to raise 260 crore saplings for the mission all through the 10 years developed by 260 nurseries in 43 forest divisions across the state with a target of making 2.80 crore sapling a year. As per the Green Tamil Nadu Mission portal, the target for the year 2020-23 has been achieved and the plantation drive has been underway in a fast track mode.

At this juncture, the central region which has devoted itself to agriculture has shown a remarkable achievement in the mission. Apart from the traditional plantation drive, the districts here have implemented the Miyawaki method of planting which would ensure more trees in less area.

Thus, Tiruchy district which has 10.51 per cent green cover has produced 3.10 lakh saplings in 2022-23 and they have been distributed to farms, educational institutions, temple lands, industries, lands belonging to factories, lake bunds, river banks, catchment areas and other public land.

The nurseries raise native species of saplings including Marudam (Arjun tree), Magilam (Bakula), Vembu (Neem), Shenbagam (Champaka), Aalam (Banyan) and Arasu (Peepul) and fruit-bearing trees like Kodukkapuli (Tamarind), Koyya (guava) which would be supporting the people from natural calamities even. These varieties need less maintenance and so achieving the target would be no matter for the region, officials from the revenue department said.

This apart, Tiruchy administration has identified 147 acre of land and removed karuvelam trees and started establishing Miyawaki forests. “So far, we have planted around 20 lakh saplings in the past three months at Poonampalayam, Samayapuram, Konalai, Venkatachalapuram, Pichandar Kovil, Thatchankurichi and Pagalavadi- the outskirts of the district. We rope in MGNREGS beneficiaries along with the volunteers to plant and maintain the saplings,” said one of the senior revenue officials from Tiruchy.

The planting of Palmyra seeds is also under way in the district. So far, 2 lakh seeds have been planted.

Meanwhile, Tiruchy Collector M Pradeep Kumar said that the action plan for 2023-24 proposed to produce 20 lakh saplings has been sent to the Green Tamil Nadu Mission for approval. With eight more years to reach the mission target, the forest cover of 33 per cent would be easily achieved, he said and added that the Tiruchy district is all set to become an active participant in the mission.

Greening urban spaces Neelamegam’s way

Don’t give lame excuses, like shortage of space. If you have heart, interest and a responsible citizen with love for nature, you will certainly start planting trees, this is the repeated statement of KC Neelamegam, Secretary of Thanneer, a voluntary organisation that has planted over one lakh saplings in and around Tiruchy city and sowed more than 2 lakh Palmyra seed balls.

Being a railway employee, Neelamegam, allocated the entire weekends for planting saplings of native species and encouraging and influencing youths to safeguard the environment. “It was my 29 years of practice to take care of the trees. To me, if we take care of the trees, they will take care of us and the earth and thus I never hesitate to plant a sapling whenever I get time and continuously water them and see them growing. This will be a greatest joy forever when we see a sapling turn into a shady tree,” Neelamegam said.

There are many volunteers, most of them employed and they converge on one particular day and start to plant saplings. “Now, most of the trees growing along the highways as well as the river banks are planted by us and we go round to see whether they are properly growing. The local people are very supportive and they water the plant in our absence,” he added.

Palmyra mission

The Thanneer organization, was on the mission to find out and promote the native species of trees, was worried about the shrinking population of Palmyra trees which has been venerated as the tree of Tamil Nadu. “So, we started a Palmyra Plantation Campaign in 2015 and started collecting the seeds from across the state,” he said.

“We have so far planted around two lakh seeds and at least 80 per cent of them have survived. While every part of Palmyrah palm is useful in some way or the other, these trees can store enormous water under them besides, strengthening bunds if planted on the banks of water bodies,” he said.

Seeds to home

Thaneer also has ‘Aadi Pattam Thedi Vithai, Nadi Varukirathu Veetuku Vithai’ initiative which was launched in 2017, in which the NGO has started distributing seeds of vegetables, including ladies finger, eggplant, and green leafy vegetables to the households across the city.

Now, he has a stock of saplings at his house and is in the habit of distributing them for free to visitors to his house. “People take away the saplings happily and even never forget to inform me that they had planted them in their houses,” added Neelamegam.