The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Dharmapuri News : Steps to convert wasteland into bio-fuel farm

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 23, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Dharmapuri

Steps to convert wasteland into bio-fuel farm

By Our Staff Reporter

DHARMAPURI, AUG. 22 . The district administration had taken steps for converting 28.5 acres of wasteland at Pulithikarai watershed into a bio-fuel farm through the Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) project, the Collector, Ashish Vachhani, said.

Based on the Chief Minister's announcement of three alternate crops for drought-prone areas, and to utilise the wasteland, steps were taken to establish a bio-fuel farm by planting agro-forestry plants like jatropha, Paradise Tree and pungan.

These plants used less water, and were economical and beneficial, he added. The farm was being established by the DPAP watershed association in the village.

The watershed being constructed at Rs. 20 lakhs was in its final stages and check ponds, cattle ponds, percolation and sunkan ponds were constructed in the area.

As many as 5,000 seedlings of jatropha, 2,000 seedlings of pungan and 300 seedlings of Paradise Tree were planted in 28.5 acres, out of the total watershed area of 500 hectares.

The Collector said that the bio-fuel farm would be handed over to self-help groups (SHGs) for future maintenance.

Necessary training, technical know-how and financial assistance would be provided to SHG members for extraction of oil and development of the nursery.

The watershed committee and technical experts would oversee the growth of these plants. The bio-fuel farm would generate employment opportunities for nearly 200 SHG members, he said.

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Steps to convert wasteland into bio-fuel farm