As part of the Green Kerala Project, the Forest Department will supply one lakh saplings to be planted in Idukki district on June 5, the World Environment Day. According to official sources, locally-found trees, which are facing the threat of disappearance, have been given priority. The project will be implemented through 52 grama panchayts and eight block panchayats and a list of the saplings required has already been prepared, they said. The services of Kudumbasree units will also be utilised in growing the saplings as more than one lakh saplings are required. The Forest Department will train the members of the selected units for this, said the sources. The training programme in the Kattappana and Nedumkandam block panchayats has been completed. The project will be implemented in two phases. The saplings to be planted this year are being grown at the Kattamudi, Maniyarankudi and Thodupuzha nurseries of the department. The saplings will be distributed to the panchayats through the four range offices of the Social Forestry in the district. The Forest Department has taken care to protect the saplings through public participation and the thousand saplings planted under the 'Vazhiyoram Thanalmaram' project are growing well, they said. Monitoring committees comprising workers from the respective areas have been formed to protect the plants and to water them during summer. The Social Forestry project could not be implemented successfully in the district due to lack of public participation. However, the setting up of the monitoring committees and awareness programmes will ensure the success of the Green Kerala Project in the district, the officials said.
The Hindu, 5th March 2009
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