Date:14/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/14/stories/2006051423070400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Initiative to promote indigenous farming techniques launched

Staff Reporter

AOL to launch drive to plant over five lakh saplings of `Laxmi Taru'

Bangalore: The Art of Living (AOL) "Krishi Yojana," an initiative to promote indigenous farming techniques that are free of chemicals, cost effective and environment-friendly was launched here on Saturday at the AOL International Centre to commemorate the 50th birthday of the Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

The programme was formally launched by Chairman of the Legislative Council V.R. Sudarshan and Minister for Health and Family Welfare R. Ashok by watering the saplings of the `simarouba glauca' plant which has been renamed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as "Laxmi Taru."

As part of the yojana, AOL will take up a drive to plant over five lakh saplings of "Laxmi Taru" all over India.

This initiative is expected to engineer a "Yellow Revolution" by converting barren wasteland into fertile area and this could be beneficial to farmers, R. Mulay of the Sri Sri Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Technology said.

Under this project farmers are being trained by experts from the institute to take up organic farming techniques , he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sudarshan said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar should be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize for his endeavour to spread the message of peace and harmony, not just in India but all over the world. The guruji has conducted an international peace conference recently where religious leaders from various faiths gathered and this meet carried the message of universal harmony, he said.

Mr. Ashok said that within a short time guruji had taken his teachings to the people all over the world and people should follow his teachings and values that spread wisdom and remove ignorance.

Minister for Agriculture Bandeppa Kashempur, who is just back from an official trip to Israel , told presspersons after the function, that Karnataka could emulate their system of water conservation and sewage treatment which were one of the best in the world.