‘Renew, recycle and reuse’ is not only for non-biodegradable waste but also for naturally-fallen seeds on the roads, it seems.
The State environment department launched the ‘Billion Fruit Trees’ programme on a low-key note, last year. Under this programme, students have to collect waste plastic bags from their homes and collect fallen seeds.
The collected seeds in the plastic bags are then watered every day to be raised as saplings. H. Malleshappa, director, department of environment, said the programme was launched in a small way in a Corporation school. Students bring waste plastic covers from home and deposit them in a collection bag in their school.
Volunteers of the National Green Corps then fill sand and plant the seeds. They also water the plants every day.
Tamarind, almond, neem, mango and pungan were some of the seeds, students collected and raised as saplings, said Dr. Malleshappa.
The programme was launched in 10 schools in the city last year. This year, another 15 schools expressed their willingness to join the programme.
Now, the programme is on in 25 schools across the city. They have raised 8,000 saplings totally, which are ready for distribution, he said.
Seeing the successful implementation of the programme, a few private and aided institutions too have requested the department to implement this in their schools.
A non-governmental organisation is periodically checking the growth of the saplings. In case a sapling does not grow well, it is replaced with another seed by the organisation, said Dr. Malleshappa.
“This is a programme wherein students join voluntarily. Though launched in the city, the department wanted to extend it slowly to other districts of the State also. So, the department has not fixed any time frame for achieving the one-billion target,” said Dr. Malleshappa.
