THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Come June 5, World Environment Day, Kerala will witness a slew of ceremonial plantings and distribution of saplings. But hardly any follow-up efforts are made to ensure proper maintenance of these saplings. In what could serve as an eye-opener, findings reveal that just around 30 per cent of such seedlings survive in the long run.
Now into the tenth year of seedlings distribution, the State Forest Department, for the first time, has carried out a detailed, district-wise analysis on the survival rate of seedlings distributed in the last two years. While only 62.53 per cent from 2017-18 survived, those from the previous year had a much lower survival rate of just 55.24 per cent.
A scientific analysis of the data along with the rate of destruction caused by wilting over the years roughly shows a mere 30-32 per cent of the seedlings survive.“Going by statistical principles, an analysis of the mortality rate shows that the survival percentage of seedlings would not be less than 30 per cent. Protecting the seedlings is the bounden responsibility of those who collect and plant the same. Of course, there could be some natural reasons too for the morality,” said K A Mohammed Noushad, PCCF, Social Forestry.
In a first-of-its-kind analysis, the Forest Department engaged students from 20 colleges across the state to conduct the said survey. Lalitha R Pillai, an Associate Professor with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics of SD College Alappuzha compiled the reports. Curiously, the district-wise data brought out some interesting findings too. Alappuzha (70.40 in 2016-17 and 72.50 in 2017-18) and Pathanamthitta (75.70 in 2016-17 and 82.68 in 2017-18) consequently maintained the highest survival rate, while Kollam had the lowest (37.82) in 2016-17 but improved to 54.60 last year.In 2017-18, Kannur had the least survival rate with 51.3 per cent, while Kasargod registered 76.10 per cent.
It was in 2009-10, during the tenure of Binoy Viswam as Forest Minister, that the department had launched the green movement by distributing seedlings on the World Environment Day. A decade after the mission was launched, it is time for authorities to initiate steps to ensure that the green movement does not lose its steam in the long run.
Colleges that participate
VTM NSS College Dhanuvachapuram, Iqbal College Peringammala, KSMDB College Sasthamcotta, St Stephen’s College Pathanapuram, Mar Thoma College Tiruvalla, SD College Alappuzha, Christian College Chengannur, CMS College Kottayam, SVRNSS College Vazhoor, Maharaja’s College Ernakulam, Government College Kattappana, Sree Kerala Varma College Thrissur, Government Victoria College Palakkad, PSMO College Tirurangadi, Government Arts and Science College Kozhikode, St Mary’s College Sulthan Bathery, WMO Arts and Science College Muttil, Sir Syed College Taliparamba, Nehru Arts and Science College Kanhangad and GPM Government College Manjeswaram.
Only 62.53 per cent of seedlings distributed last year survived
Of the seedlings distributed in 2016-17, survival rate is just 55.24 per cent.