The Hindu 05.06.2013
Turning garbage dumping yard into a green belt
The Kannur municipality’s garbage dumping yard in the Chelora grama panchayat will be an area with green belt if the efforts of a voluntary green organisation’s plan to plant saplings of trees there on the occasion of the World Environment Day yield results.
The Kannur-based Kerala Initiative to Save Agriculture and Nature (Kisan) in the first phase is planting 500 saplings at the landfill at Chelora that was in the spotlight following protests of local residents against the garbage disposal there.
Kisan chairman T.O. Mohanan, who is also Congress councillor in the municipality, has said the plan is to develop the landfill into a man-made forest area like the forest developed at Parappa, near Neeleswaram, in Kasaragod by P. Abdul Kareem, known as ‘forest man’. The initiative is to make the spot an area of greenery, he said adding that it would be an answer to the concerns raised by the local residents against the garbage disposal.
The saplings are being planted in association with the Social Forestry wing of the Forest Department. Over 2,000 saplings would also be disbursed among the local residents.
K. Sudhakaran, MP, inaugurated the sapling planting at a function at Chelora on Tuesday. Mr. Kareem inaugurated the disbursal of the saplings. Municipal chairperson Roshni Khalid was present.
Kisan is also holding a programme at the Police Quarters here on June 5 to create awareness of sanitation and environmental protection. The programme being held in association with the Police Quarters Residents’ Association will be inaugurated by Superintendent of Police Rahul R. Nair.
