Bidar: Schoolchildren of Yarabag celebrated the 64th anniversary of the Quit India movement by planting 500 trees on Wednesday.

They marched on the main streets of the village shouting slogans in favour of afforestation and rainwater harvesting. They planted two saplings in front of each house in the village.

Conservator of Forests Veerendra Singh, who inaugurated the celebrations, asked farmers to grow more bio-diesel producing trees such as jatropha.

"Use of bio-diesel has multiple benefits. It benefits vehicle users by providing plenty of cheaper fuel, does not harm the environment and it will benefit farmers immensely as it will always have a good market," he said.

He complimented the efforts of Parisara Vahini for organising afforestation camps across the district. He observed that active participation of the people in such programmes had led to an increase in forest cover by six per cent in the district.

Deputy Conservator of Forests Dilip Kumar Das asked farmers to harvest rainwater in their fields and houses. "This will push the water table up, reduce the chance of wells and irrigation pump sets drying up, and maintain green grass round the year," he said. "This is one of the most efficient ways of irrigating fields," he said.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry) T. Hiralal asked people to protect the saplings from grazing animals. "We should understand that protecting young plants is as important as planting them," he said.

Freedom fighters Basavaraj Swamy and Parvati Bhabndari were felicitated. Basava Lingeshwar Swamiji of the Jyortilinga Ashram, Parisara Vahini president Shailendra Kavadi, gram panchayat president Gurunath Patil and Bidar Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane director Bheem Reddy Patil were present.

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