Minister ‘challenges’ local bodies to set up mini forests

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

With a large number of the local bodies in the State failing to respond to the government’s call to set up mini forests modelled on Miyawaki forests in their respective areas, Local Self-government Minister M.V.Govindan on Sunday ‘challenged’ the local bodies to match the Miyawaki forest in his official residence.

Posting online the photographs of the mini forest set up in 3.5 cents of land behind his official residence, the Minister challenged local bodies to post photographs of the Miyawaki forests they have set up.

As part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the people’s plan programme, the Local Self-government department had in April last year issued an order asking local bodies to turn small unused land in their areas into forests as part of a project titled ‘Janavanam.’

However, even a year after the order, only a few local bodies have put in efforts to create such small forests. After the order was issued, Mr.Govindan had taken steps to ready the forest in a piece of unused land attached to his official residence.

"It was a difficult task to clear up the land, which was filled with building waste. Around four loads of such waste had to be removed. The Employment Guarantee Scheme workers from the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation had to take a lot of effort for this. The Agriculture Officer from the Corporation also helped in taking up organic vegetable farming too as part of it. The Forest department officials helped in setting up the forest," said Mr.Govindan in his Facebook post.

Forty-five varieties of saplings were planted five months back, which have now attained considerable growth. He said that some local bodies had earlier planted small forests as part of the Haritha Keralam Mission's project.

However, if more local bodies come forward to take it up, the sstate will be filled with more green spots, he said.