Planting of saplings to test and demonstrate a new irrigation technique was launched in Vellore district on Saturday.
According to district officials, the technique innovated by K. Sathyagopal, who is currently the Commissioner of Revenue Administration and Principal Secretary, Tamil Nadu, sought to promote plant growth by conserving water.
In this technique, which involves rootzone irrigation to accelerate tree growth at low cost, four pipes will be sunk in the four corners of a pit for planting saplings. These pipes will be filled with river sand and compost and slowly removed.
“This will ensure percolation of water into the deep layers, and moisture will be retained in the roots. This will result in good growth of the saplings,” an official said. Saplings of “pungai,” “neem,” coconut, guava and lemon were being planted.
He added that this technology was being implemented in various districts through the respective Collectors. In Vellore, the trial and demonstration was launched at the Vellore Central Prison for Men and State Horticulture Farm at Navlock. Sengottaiyan, district revenue officer; Shanmugasundaram, prison superintendent; and Vasudeva Reddy, joint director of Agriculture, Vellore, were present.
