Southern end of Cheruvathur panchayat of the district is going to witness massive afforestation drive in 61.11 acres land.
A decision to this effect was taken by heads of various departments, institutions and voluntary organisations at a meeting held at the Cheruvathur grama panchayat hall on Thursday.
The ambitious scheme is being implemented involving State Forest Research Centre, Departments of Poverty Alleviation, Soil Conservation, Cheruvathur grama panchayat along with local voluntary organisations.
The pilot massive afforestation drive is carried out in the Revenue land at Kulangattu as the project envisages building natural habitat by planting saplings, official sources here said.
The afforestation drive is expected to help reduce the serious environmental hazards being faced in the hills around Kulangattu due to poor forest conservation as the area would be turned out to be natural habitat of wild life by re-building watershed units.
Efforts have already been taken to earmark boundaries of the said area for the sapling planting drive and would take steps to contain illegal quarry mining in the localities.
Special nurseries would be set up to ensure adequate supply of saplings bearing flowers and fruits as the services of those employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme would availed for the afforestation drive.
The meeting was presided over by district Collector V. N. Jithendran. Senior members of the local bodies and Forest Research Centre, eminent scientists including A. P. Raghu, P. K. Chandrasekharan Pillai and senior Agriculture officials took part in the meeting.
