Actor Vivek, who launched ‘Green Kalam project’, a massive tree planting campaign in deference to the wishes of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has said he had so far planted only about 30 lakh trees.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Vivek, who was here to address the students of Rajah’s Higher Secondary School on Tuesday, said he was concentrating in schools and colleges and could not go to villages due to paucity of funds.
After Kalam had entrusted him with the task of planting one crore saplings in 2009 to reduce global warming, he began planting trees since 2010, he said, adding he would complete the task.
Saplings planted in schools and colleges were taken care of by students but those planted in villages needed more protection, he said. He hoped to speed up the mission with the help of Sai Prasanna Foundation, started by him.
Trees not only protected the environment from global warming but also provided oxygen.
He said the kings of the region had a great vision in addressing water crisis as nearly half of the 4,000-sq- km arid district was dotted with waterbodies and they were the forerunners in harvesting rainwater.
N. Kumaran Sethupathy, Lakshmi Nachiyar and their son K.B.M. Nagendra Sethupathy were present on the occasion.
