Kerala   

Harithatheeram launch tomorrow

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Government’s Harithatheeram programme for developing a green belt along the 590-km Kerala coastline will be inaugurated on Thursday.

The Rs. 25.56-crore programme, part of the rehabilitation projects for tsunami victims, will be implemented by the Forest and the Fisheries departments.

At a press conference here on Tuesday, Forests Minister Benoy Viswom and Fisheries Minister S. Sharma said Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan would inaugurate the programme at Perumathura, near here, and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy at Marakkappuram in Kannur district simultaneously.

The Ministers said the programme would be implemented in collaboration with local self-government institutions. There would be no middlemen, and works would be carried out by Theera Samrakshana, Vriksha Samrakshana (coast and tree protection) committees to be formed in every ward. The local body members would head the committees in their respective wards and forest officials would be the secretaries.

Representatives of socio-political organisations, including those of fish workers’ groups, would be the members of the committees, apart from fisheries and revenue officials.

Replying to questions, Mr. Viswom said 166 sites had been identified for planting saplings under the programme. Planting materials were ready. Growing trees along the coastline was expected to block soil erosion and act as a buffer against natural calamities such as tsunami. The programme would help to augment the finances of people in the coastal areas through supply of firewood and creation of employment opportunities, he said.

The Ministers said Rs. 331 crore had been earmarked for the tsunami rehabilitation projects. The money for the programme would come from this fund. In its second phase, allocations would be made from the fund for rehabilitating people from areas vulnerable to tsunami and strengthening infrastructure.

Mr. Sharma said the Fisheries Department had identified 17,000 people for rehabilitation. The Housing Department would construct houses for them on land acquired by the Revenue Department.

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

Stories in this Section

More people pitch tents
Education system messed up: Chandy
Contractors boycott tenders
Media’s giant strides
He raised the standing of auto drivers
Theyyam, in safe hands
Festival pangs
In his father’s footsteps
Chronicling 60 years of Independence
Two films for one ticket
Pearls of wisdom
At home with the new generation
For a cause
Patnaik calls for empowerment
Harithatheeram launch tomorrow
CSB rights issue stayed
Oracle 11g available worldwide from today
Allowance for khadi workers
Remission granted
Governor greets people
Njavara rice holds hope for cancer patients
Jaihind to go on air on Friday
‘Government messing up education’
More people pitch tents in estate
Contractors’ bodies boycott tenders
State vision

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