KOCHI: Ernakulam Rural SP K Karthik is very strict when it comes to maintaining law and order in areas under his jurisdiction. Ever since the lockdown was announced, he has been maintaining hawk-eyed vigil to crack down on those flouting the lockdown advisory. He has also stepped up surveillance with the help of drones and vehicle checks to nab bootleggers and those brewing illicit liquor.
However, when he reaches his camp house at Aluva, he plays a different role. The IPS officer, who has inherited his family’s passion for farming, has converted the premises of his camp house into a mini farm. He set up the farm when he moved there after assuming charge last year. Focusing on organic farming, he brought seeds of high-yielding varieties of vegetables from his native place, Tiruvannamalai, in Tamil Nadu and sowed them in growbags on the premises.
Every day he spent a few hours after his duty time to look after the vegetables. Months passed and his efforts bore fruit. Now, the camp house premises boasts of various vegetables such as cucumber, cabbage, brinjal, green chillies, coriander and curry leaves. The police officers used the vegetables from the farm for preparing the feast for Vishu. “Those who are home during this lockdown period should effectively utilise their time for farming,” said Karthik.
Recently, the vegetable seeds supplied by the Agriculture Department to enhance farming during lockdown were also sowed in the SP’s farm. As the officer is always busy with his official assignments, his wife Sivashankari and son Prijith Vinayak take care of the farming activities.