To convert unused or barren land into green patches with fruit trees, the Tiruchi district administration has launched a program to grow 12 lakh palm trees.
As a prelude to the initiative, two lakh palm trees were planted in 400 acres in Ootathur, on the periphery of Tiruchi and Perambalur districts. Several volunteers, officials of the Revenue Department and District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), and representatives of industries and environmentalists were involved in this campaign. After completing the campaign, the district administration identified 100 villages in different parts of Lalgudi revenue division for planting 10 lakh palm trees.
Besides revenue and DRDA officials, the elected representatives and panchayat secretaries of the respective villages were entrusted with the task. They were given a few rounds of training on the method of sowing, distance and follow-up measures to grow the trees. Each village was asked to plant 10,000 palm trees on the unused land. The process is said to have reached an advanced stage. Some companies, including Rane and Dalmia Cements, supported the project through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
In addition, palmyra seeds have been sown for a distance of 39 km with an interval of every 10 feet on the Tiruchi-Chidambaram highway. Around 180 tonnes of seeds have been used for the initiative. “The project does not give immediate results as the development is very slow. However, once the tree grows to a fruit bearing level it works for the rural economy for years. It also stores groundwater,” M. Pradeep Kumar, Collector says. Revenue Divisional Officer of Lalgudi S. “The land on which Palmyra seeds were sown will emerge as a major economic zone supporting rural people in the next 10 years,” says Vaithyanathan.
Collector told Hindu That the services of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme have come in handy for sowing seeds. It had received a good response among the volunteers and various stakeholders. Therefore, it was decided to sow one crore Palmyra seeds in all parts of the district. The mega campaign will be held in July-August next year.