It is 6.30 in the morning and time for volunteers from Oorvanam, a non-governmental organisation, to water sun-baked and shrivelled trees in Tirunagar.
P.R. Vishwanath, the head of this organisation that also runs an animal shelter, and environment enthusiast, says the scorching summer has gotten the better of the trees in Tirunagar. Through a citizen-run initiative, Mr.Vishwanath aims to raise awareness among the residents to care for their trees.
Mr. Vishwanath and a peer from the NGO, water around 200 trees on Tiruvalluvar Street, Gandhi Street, Kambar Street, Pasumpon Street, Venkateswara Street and Anna Park. “Tirunagar is full of trees with more green cover than the rest of Madurai. About five years ago, we started planting saplings in our friends’ houses. Soon strangers started asking for this service,” says Mr. Vishwanath. Now the initiative has caught on with the community, he adds.
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Last May, many trees in Tirunagar were uprooted by strong wind and rain. Oorvanam volunteers were devastated to see fully grown trees down on the ground. They started planting saplings to maintain the green cover. “Now, at least 50 volunteers gather on weekends just to plant saplings,” he says.
To water the plants, the Oorvanam team uses a two-wheeler to transport water cans to 200 spots. “We are planning to buy bigger vehicles or tricycles with sponsorship as we aim to plant 300 more saplings this year. It’s going to be an interesting challenge for us,” he says.