Kuthambakkam Goes Green
Kuthambakkam, one of the model villages in the country that has attracted international attention, has embarked on an "afforestation" drive that will provide its inhabitants the security of agricultural income in the long run and an improvement in the climate in the near future.
On Gandhi Jayanti day in Chennai, this village about 40 km from the city centre held its Gram Sabha and resolved that it would undertake a massive tree planting programme. Part of the inspiration comes from the effort of another village, Rajendrapuram in Aranthangi taluk of Pudukottai, to plant species of trees that are endemic to Tamil Nadu and therefore seen as critical for its environmental security.
Rangasamy Ilango, the president of the Kuthambakkam Panchayat, successfully urged his constituents to undertake a massive tree planting programme, that would provide them with a source of income through horticulture in the years to come. The added bonus would be the improvement to the climate in the area, already well known for its fertility of soil and excellent conditions for growth of fruit-bearing trees.
What Ilango needs is sponsors for batches of tall saplings - tree species grown to a height of a few feet in nurseries to provide a greater chance of survival after transplantation. He welcomes a model of people planting trees in the village to mark personal milestones such as birthdays, weddings and anniversaries or simply to leave something for future generations.
The village has wholeheartedly endorsed the idea and a report on the resolution appeared in The Hindu titled Villagers resolve to go green in a big way, triggering some interest among the public.
One other such programme of gifting trees has been announced by an eco-horticulturist, S.Krishnamurthy in Chennai, adding some mystifying theory to it that says there is a tree that is particulary suited to the sun sign of each person. Read about Star Trees here
In Kuthambakkam, the choice open to Ilango and his community is to plant trees of such species as Neem, Madhuca (Iluppai in Tamil), Mango, Ficus benghalensis (Banyan), F.religiosa, Jamun (Naval) and a host of others.
This would be on the lines of what Anna Hazare is credited with having achieved in Ralegan, Maharashtra. For Ilango, the proximity to Chennai - the village is connected by the Metropolitan Bus Service - is both a boon and a handicap. There is considerable media support to the activities of the village, but also some of the ills that come with the closeness of urban decay.
The organic farming that Kuthambakkam would adopt should win it support from a wide range of global agencies that are involved in supporting such community activity. The village has already been provided with a Panchayat Training Academy under development schemes of the British High Commission.
If you would like contribute to the Kuthambakkam programme, please contact the Panchayat in Chennai at tel: (91 44) 25016595 or 26811247.