State Planning Commission member G. Kumaravelu has appealed to farmers to cultivate crops such as bamboo in the lands which were polluted due to the discharge of effluents in the water carrying channels.
The mass cultivation of crops such as bamboo would help for the bio-remediation of polluted soil, he said while participating at a meeting held here on Tuesday.
Interacting with the farmers and representatives of various farmers' associations on the rehabilitation of the polluted soil, he said that the State Government had allotted Rs. 10 crore for the Environment Protection and Clean Energy Development Fund, which was created to implement programmes aimed at protection of the environment and to take up measures to help mitigate global warming.
Mr. Kumaravelu, a full-time member of the Commission, said that the meeting was arranged to particularly discuss the environmental issues with farmers in the district, who were affected due to the pollution caused by the dyeing units in the Kalingarayan water carrying canal.
Mr. Kumaravelu also suggested that the local administration could also take up the cultivation of bamboo using the sewage. Since the roots and tubers of the bamboo have the capacity to treat the effluents, they could be used for pollution control, he added.
It was possible to market the bamboo since the paper industry was having a huge requirement of wood-based raw materials, he said.
Collector R. Sudalaikannan and senior officials were present in the meeting.
