Kerala - Kannur   

Fund to revive mangroves

Staff Reporter

Minister inaugurates `Ente Maram' afforestation campaign in Kannur

KANNUR: Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran has said that the Government has sanctioned a Rs. 10 crore project for conservation and revival of mangrove forests in the district.

Inaugurating the district-level launching of the `Ente Maram' (my tree) programme at the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School here on Tuesday, the Minister said that the State Government had approved the `Haritha' project submitted by District Collector Ishita Roy for the protection of mangrove areas. The district has the largest extent of ecologically sensitive mangrove forests in the State. The Minister inaugurated the Ente Maram programme in the district by planting a sapling on the school campus. Students were distributed saplings of various species at the function.

Mr. Rajendran said that the innovative initiative to involve school students in the social forestry programme being implemented jointly by the Education and Forest Departments was different from earlier tree planting programmes that had not succeeded. Government funds had gone down the drain for launching those social forestry projects in the past, he added. Exuding hope that the campaign would trigger a conservation movement among students, the Minister said that the Government had plans to involve 25 lakh students in the programme which was much acclaimed by environmental activists. He said that environmental protection assumed much significance now. Mr. Rajendran said that the Government's commitment to protecting the environment and maintaining public hygiene was displayed in the wake of the chikungunya outbreak last year. Ban on plastic carry bags and on spitting in public places were among the steps to ensure involvement of the public in environmental protection activities, he added.

He also said that the social forestry programme being launched through schools in the State would equip the students to resist demolition of hills and filling of wetlands. He also said that the Government would introduce a Bill for the protection of areas that were ecologically, geographically or historically unique.

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

Stories in this Section

Fund to revive mangroves
Freedom fighter cremated at Kallyasseri

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu