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.