THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The agriculture department will launch ‘Kathiru’ (Kerala Agriculture Technology Heritage and Innovation for Rural Understanding) — clubs aimed at nurturing a passion for farming in students — in all government and aided schools of the state, Agriculture minister T Siddique announced on Wednesday. He was speaking at a press meet held in Thiruvananthapuram. The project will also implement initiatives like horticulture therapy for stress management among students, the minister said.
Around 20 to 25 students can be part of the club, with one student and one teacher each as nodal officers to monitor its day-to-day activities.
A financial aid of Rs 10,000 will be provided to 2,500 schools in the state as part of the first phase of the project.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the state-level observation of the World Environment Day at the Secretariat on Friday, Siddique said. The event will see saplings being planted in all schools across the state.
Five selected student farmers will also be honoured by the chief minister in the ceremony.
PRESENCE OF SRIRAM VENKITARAMAN AT THE MEET SPARKS ROW
The presence of agriculture development department director Sriram Venkitaraman, who is an accused in a car accident case that resulted in the death of journalist K M Basheer, in minister Siddique’s press meet on Wednesday triggered a row.
When Sriram came unannounced and sat beside the minister, journalists expressed their dissatisfaction at the presence of the IAS officer who is held responsible for the death of their colleague. When the minister tried to diffuse the situation and continued the meeting, some journalists staged a walkout, following which Sriram left the press meet on his own.