The Hindu : Front Page : Children's jungles planned in schools

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 05, 2007
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Children's jungles planned in schools

V.S. Palaniappan

PREPARATIONS ON: Saplings getting ready at a forest department nursery in Coimbatore for the children's jungles. - Photo: M. Periasamy

Coimbatore: The district administration, along with the forest department and a few non-Governmental and voluntary organisations, has begun work to establish children's jungles in 40 schools.

The objective is to create a model eco-system by setting up small children's jungles on every school premises, Collector Neeraj Mittal and District Forest Officer I. Anwardeen told The Hindu .

The jungle would have herbal medicinal varieties besides shade bearing, fruit bearing, and avenue trees - all components of an eco-system - with the forest department providing the saplings, they said.

NSS students would dig pits for the saplings, while the forest department - with the help of students - would do the planting. The area would be fenced and the school would water and nurture these plants.

Students would be advised not to consume fruits of the trees or sell them. Instead, they would be asked to wait and watch for the visitors such as squirrels, ants, caterpillars, birds and insects, to enable the children to learn about the eco-system, Mr. Anwardeen said.

This would help the students love, enjoy and appreciate nature. Voluntary organisations like Siruthuli and Isha had also joined the drive. Chief Education Officer S. Karmegam would identify the schools and periodically monitor and review the progress. The effort would be intensified during the monsoon season.

Mr. Mittal said panchayats had been asked to ensure that maximum number of saplings were planted and nurtured in every panchayat, involving elected representatives. The green cover would help combat pollution caused by motor vehicles. Every Government office had been asked to plant at least 10 saplings, depending on space. NSS students would be roped in to make it a public movement. The 17,000 self-help groups had been asked to plant one sapling each and ensure its survival.

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