The Hindu : Front Page : Six villages chosen for afforestation

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Wednesday, Jun 25, 2008
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Six villages chosen for afforestation

R. Rajaram

File Photo: M. Moorthy

ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSE: Students carrying out mass planting of saplings on the farm on NIT premises in Tiruchi.

TIRUCHI: The Social Forestry Division, Tiruchi, will plant saplings in 1,500 hectares under the second phase of Tamil Nadu Afforestation Programme (TAP) in six villages bordering reserve forests during the current fiscal.

The “programme villages” are M. Karuppampatti in Thuraiyur range, Sengattupatti Colony in Ariyalur range, Eachampatti Colony and Narasingapuram in Tiruchi range, Kottrangulam in Perambalur range and Kuppanur Othaveedu in Manapparai range.

Multiple works under the TAP will be executed in these villages to enhance green cover and improve the quality of life of the community in the fringe areas of reserve forests.

Villages having potential for watershed development for better soil and moisture conservation works have been identified by the Forest Department to execute the TAP being carried out with financial assistance from the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation.

Saplings of neem, pungam, bamboo and nelli would be planted in 250 hectares in each “programme village” in plain surface as well as in the upper zone in order to make it a “green zone”. Water harvesting structures such as percolation ponds and check dams would be created in the water-shed areas to recharge the wells and improve ground water table.

The Forest department is in the process of drafting a micro-plan involving the Village Forest Council (VFC) formed in each “programme village” under which loans would be disbursed to the rural beneficiaries to take up income generation activity to improve their economic condition.

About 2.5 lakh saplings would be planted in the villages this year and 10 to 12 water harvesting structures established, Divisional Forest Officer Deepak Srivasthava told The Hindu here on Monday.

The planting would commence in August and be completed before the onset of the north east monsoon, he said, adding that the Department would spend about Rs. 1.5 crore in the current year to implement the TAP.

The produce from the trees in future would be handed over to the VFC which would be involved right from the programme planning to execution. The division has set a target of planting saplings in 4,850 hectares under the TAP Phase–II, which commenced in 2005-06 and has covered over 3,000 hectares so far.

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