THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Kerala: In view of the upcoming World Environment Day, Kerala is all set to expand its existing ‘Pachathuruthu’ programme to create green islets across the southern state. The programme aims to create one islet each in all local bodies in Kerala.
Overall, 1000 green islets will be created, of which 203 will be in Kasaragod district. Apart from that, creating green spaces on 50 acres of land on the premises of Kerala Mineral and Metal Limited (KMML) is also on the agenda. Similar green spaces have been proposed on a two-acre plot of Travancore Titanium Products in Thiruvananthapuram, on a 10-acre plot each in IHRD Engineering College in Poonjar, and Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals in Alappuzha.
As part of the mission, green islets solely consisting of mangroves, will also be created in the Alappuzha district under the Ambalapuzha block panchayat. Similarly, the southern railway will turn seven acres of land in the southern district into a green pocket.
In the success of this exercise in maintaining the local biodiversity, the participation of local residents will be essential. While planting saplings, preference will be given to the indigenous variety to ensure that an exchange of tree sapling programme is also being organised.
For the execution of the ‘Pachathuruthu’ programme, along with the workers of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Department of Social Forestry, Department of Agriculture, Kerala Forest College, and other institutes will also participate.