The Pattanchery grama panchayat in the district has announced that one-third of the panchayat’s geographic area will be converted into forest. The afforestation declaration on Saturday made Pattanchery the first and only local body to do so.
The panchayat witnessed a gathering of known tree planters from across the district on Saturday. The function held at Althara, Kannimari, was led by the panchayat biodiversity maintenance committee and the National Haritha Sena. The function named Amritolsavam 2023 also marked the ninth anniversary of the tree planters’ group.
Pattanchery grama panchayat president P.S. Sivadas inaugurated the World Environment Day celebrations. Although the day is celebrated the world over on June 5, Pattanchery panchayat began the celebrations well ahead with an eye on effectively implementing this year’s theme: beat plastic pollution.
The gathering discussed various methods to fight plastic as well as to plant more trees. Unused government land will be identified for afforestation and a registry of planted forests will be prepared.
The people of Pattanchery panchayat will be encouraged to plant trees under the Amritavanam scheme. Small forests will be built by planting fruit trees and indigenous trees.
“We are laying stress on indigenous trees because it will be easy and practical,” said S. Guruvayurappan, district coordinator of the National Haritha Sena. Mr. Guruvayurappan explained the intensive afforestation scheme launched in Pattanchery.
Mr. Sivadas said special efforts would be made to protect palmyra palms, reed bamboos, and herb plants. He said beating the plastic menace and converting one-third of the panchayat’s geographic area into a forest would go hand in hand.
Panchayat vice president Anila Muraleedharan presided over the function. D. Saravanan, director of Aranya Forest and Sanctuary, Puducherry, was the chief guest. Tree planters from across the district were felicitated at the function.
Panchayat secretary K.M. Beena, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme overseer T. Sajit, panchayat standing committee chairperson S. Sukanya Radhakrishnan, councillors K. Chembakam, C. Kandamuthan, G. Satheesh Chozhiyakkad, P. Sobhana Dasan and Sethumadhavan, and panchayat biodiversity maintenance committee convener Santhosh Kumar M. spoke.
Dr. Saravanan presided over the ninth anniversary celebrations of the tree planters’ group. Leading tree planters Syamkumar Thenkurissi, N. Narendranthan, K.A. Ajesh, Pratheesh Kunju, and Santhosh Kumar shared their experience.
