Farmers in Erode expect the district administration to galvanise its machinery for planting of palm saplings during the months ahead.
The initiative took off last year requiring substantial ground-level coordination amongst Forest, Rural Development, Revenue, Highways and a few other departments.
Though a beginning was made, farmers’ organisations have asked for better coordination for planting at least a few lakhs of the palm saplings throughout the length and breadth of the district.
An environmental group at Kanchikovil area has been demonstrating more than 50 per cent survival rate of the palm saplings planted in the last two years.
The Forest and School Education departments had, together, ensured collection of adequate palm seeds under the aegis of National Green Corp, and the saplings have also been readied for planting.
The Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam has urged the district administration to prevail upon all panchayats to plant the palm saplings on the sides of newly-constructed roads. The palm trees, farmers assure, will bring multi-pronged benefits by way of increasing green cover, preventing soil erosion, recharging aquifer and providing yields of the sought-after fruits called nungu (ice apple).
