A fruitful mission takes steps on the museum premises

Thiruvananthapuram took a ‘green’ step forward on Monday when Governor Sheila Dikshit planted a gooseberry sapling on the museum premises to mark the beginning of a greening drive led by Delhi-based NGO ‘WePlant India’.

Ms. Dikshit administered an oath committing the youngsters present on the occasion to preserve and protect biodiversity by planting ‘indigenous and location-specific fruit trees in public places wherever possible’.

Schools extend support

Around 150 fruit tree saplings were planted at the event, including those of mango, pomegranate, litchi and Indian gooseberry by the volunteers and 150 students of various schools in the city — National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH), Akkulam, Holy Angels’ School, Vanchiyoor, St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Pattom, LMS UPS Cantonment School, Viswaprakash Central School, St. Theresa’s School, St. Thomas Residential School and Women’s Christian College, Nagercoil.

Children born with clubfoot who have undergone Ponseti treatment under CURE Clubfoot Kerala were also part of the people who planted fruit tree saplings.

Kerala State Biodiversity Board chairman Oommen V. Oommen; Museum Director B. Joseph; founder of ‘WePlant India’ J. George, national team leader Santhosh George G., State team leader S. Devanesan; and Secretary, Agriculture, Jyothilal, were present.

Zulfiquar Marikar, CEO, Marikkar Motors, said on the occasion that for every vehicle sold by the showroom a fruit tree would be planted in partnership with We Plant India.

A fruitful mission takes steps on the museum premises

Governor launches drive to plant indigenous fruit trees