THANJAVUR: Buoyed by the success of the ‘one tree per house’ scheme launched on the occasion of World Earth Day on April 22 (under which 80,000 saplings have been planted), the district administration has launched a similar scheme, ‘Oorukku Oru Vanam.’
Under the new scheme, the administration aims to develop a forest, stretching to about an acre, in around 100 villages in the district, officials said.
The initiative kick-started in Pillayarpatti with the planting of saplings on Tuesday. Saplings of species, including mango, jackfruit, guava, teak, gooseberry and neem, have been planted, an official said, adding the process will be over by the end of the week in the village.
Tree saplings will be planted in around one acre of land in each of the villages under the Miyawaki method, which involves the planting of two to four tree saplings per square metre.
“Under this method (Miyawaki), 200 to 250 saplings could be planted in an area of 1,000 square feet, with around 10,000 saplings in one acre,” an official from the rural development department told TNIE.
Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver said that spots in 25 villages have already been identified for the scheme’s implementation. “It will be implemented under MGNREGA and with CSR funds,” he said, adding that the process will be completed in four months’ time. “After that, the maintenance will be handed over to the respective village panchayats,” he added.
An official involved in the project said fencing will be provided for each of the proposed Miyawaki forests. “If the planting process is completed in time, the saplings would benefit from the north-east monsoon,” the official said.
The maintenance of the saplings planted under the ‘one tree per house’ scheme is being undertaken by college students and voluntary organisations, sources said. With its success, the administration is set to embark on their new scheme, they added.