Karnataka - Hassan   

A rocky area turns green again

Muralidhara Khajane

GREENERY ALL AROUND: The vegetation in Anuganalu village.

HASSAN: A decade ago Anuganalu, a sleepy hamlet about 14 km. from Hassan, had greenery all around. The area was also getting good rainfall. People believed that the rain god had blessed their village. Seegegudda, a small hillock, near the village attracted a large variety of birds because of its greenery. However, lack of rainfall in recent years turned the village into a barren land.

Anuganalu has now turned green again. The place is attracting peacocks and other birds. The change has been made possible by the efforts of Biodiversity Conservation and Research Trust (BCRT) of Hassan, a non-governmental organisation founded by Malali Gowda, a scientist at the Biotechnology Department of Ohio University. BCRT has also started the process of bringing back the green cover at Seegegudda.

According to Krishnamurthy, Secretary of BCRT, his brother Mr. Malali Gowda had witnessed nature's fury when earthquake struck Gujarat. At that time he was studying at Vadodara University. He got a feeling that nature would not tolerate over-exploitation after a certain limit and would retaliate in its own way. Inspired by his father Range Gowda, he started planting various species of trees on the campus of the university.

The barren and rocky area in his native village Anuganalu depressed him and he decided to make the area green and formed BCRT in 2001. He saved a part of his scholarship and invested it in developing the land. A twenty-member team of his family assisted him.

With the help of Watershed Area Development Board, BCRT initially took up water conservation. Agricultural ponds were created and tank bunds constructed. Silt was removed from the village tank and the water body rejuvenated.

Later, the team members started planting different species of plants and fruit bearing trees. Their concentration was mainly on medicinal plants. With the help of Ayurvedic experts, they identified more than 60 species of medicinal plants and began cultivating them.

They developed a nursery and started distributing saplings to schools. To involve villagers in the exercise, the team members started training camps for members of women self-help groups (SHGs) in rolling agarbathis and making candles. The trust organised a unique ritual, "Thippe pooje," to create awareness among the villagers on the importance of using green leaf manure. Enthused by the response, the trust members formed Biodiversity Management Committee in the village with the help of the Biodiversity Board and conducted a camp.

Representatives of about 40 gram panchayats in Hassan taluk participated in the camp and commended the work done in Anuganalu. They also decided to adopt these methods in their villages. According to Mr. Krishnamurthy, biodiversity committees have been formed in 40 villages in Hassan taluk and BCRT wants to expand the network in the villages in the district as well. Water conservationist Sree Padre visited Anaganalu recently and gave suggestions on water conservation techniques.

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