Planting of palm seeds begins in Erode district

District Collector inaugurates palm seed plantation drive along river banks to increase palmyra trees with NGO and government support.

District Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara inaugurated a drive on Saturday to plant palm seeds near the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal at Velankattuvalasu in Kulur Panchayat in Modakkurichi Panchayat Union.

To increase the number of palmyra trees, the Department of Environment and Climate Change of the State government, Green Needa, a non-governmental organisation, and Tamil Nadu Volunteers Organisation launched a plantation drive aimed at planting one crore palm seeds along 416 km of land along the river banks. The drive began on July 27 at Rameswaram following which other districts were covered in a phased manner.

Mr. Raja Gopal Sunkara told media persons that fully grown palm trees would serve the people and villages in many ways and appreciated the participation of students and NGOs. Palm seeds would be planted not only along the Cauvery river banks but also near the ponds, lakes and other water bodies in all the village panchayats. The village panchayat presidents would plant palm seeds in their panchayat limits and wanted them to take responsibility in protecting the saplings until they grew into trees.