The Hindu : Forest fires a setback to greening project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Forest fires a setback to greening project

By P.V.V. Murthi

TIRUVANNAMALAI, MARCH 13. Frequent forest fires on the Annamalai Hills at Tiruvannamalai have caused a setback to the greening activities. While the Tiruvannamalai Greening Society launched a project a few months ago for greening the hills, the man-made forest fires have destroyed the newly-planted saplings.

The latest fire was on Friday. The fires have been found to be the handiwork of those who harvested the yellow grass (`manjam pul') growing on the hills. Once they harvest a sizable quantity of the grass, which is used as roofing for huts, they burn the crop on the adjoining land to prevent their rivals getting a good harvest.

Fire watchers have been appointed by the society and the Forest department provided training to them and local people in combating the fire through a technique called `counter fire'. Some yellow grass crops on the opposite side of the fire were burnt so that the original fire is contained.

The society has plans to replace the burnt saplings with new ones. The society and the Forest department have formed a Forest Fire Protection Squad, involving local people and inmates of the Scheduled Caste/Backward Class students' hostels. A total of 150 persons have been enrolled as members of the squad.

Estimated to cost about Rs.140 lakhs, the 3-year greening project plans to get sponsorship for 5-hectare memory plots costing Rs.1.15 lakhs each, planting and maintenance of avenue trees for 37 km, formation and maintenance of 10 rest-a-while parks at a cost of Rs.1.45 lakhs each, formation and maintenance of sacred groves at Rs.1.45 lakhs each and a herbal theme park costing Rs.9 lakhs.

A total of 20 memory plots — 15 by private organisations including banks, educational institutions and corporate houses and five by the forest department — have been sponsored so far, accounting for 100 hectares.

The sponsors included the State Bank of India, the Indian Bank, the Indian Oil Corporation, TVS, the Thiruvalluvar Engineering College, Vandavasi, Raja Nandivarman College and the Shanthimalai Research and Development Trust, Tiruvannamalai. The Tamil Nadu Hotel Owners Association, the Hindustan Petrolum Corporation and the Shanthimalai Research and Development Trust have each sponsored a rest-a-while park, while the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. has offered to sponsor a park.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu