Date:04/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/04/stories/2008120450580200.htm

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Major greening project on the anvil for State

Staff Reporter

10 million trees to be planted in State over the next two years.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Departments of Forest and the Local Self-government will jointly undertake one of the biggest greening projects in the World, Forest Minister Benoy Viswom has said.

The Minister said more than ten million trees would be planted in the State over the next two years under the ‘Haritha Keralam Project.’ Already 5.1 million trees had been planted in the State under various schemes, he said.

Mr. Viswom said the planting of trees was proposed as a response to global warming.

Altogether, 18 indigenous species including medicinal plants would be planted. Exotic varieties such as acacia would not be planted.

He said at least 10,000 trees each would be planted in every panchayat. The planting would be launched on June 5, 2009 to coincide with the World Environment Day.

The Department of Local Self-government had asked each panchayat to communicate their requirements of seedlings to the Forest Department.

The project would be funded by the National Rural Employment Programme.

District-level meetings would be held between December 10 and 15 to plan the implementation.

People’s collectives would be organised at the panchayat level to ensure success of the programme, Mr. Viswom added.