RAMANATHAPURAM: The aerial seed ball dispersing event using INS Parundu was inaugurated by representatives from the Indian Navy, the forest department, and Mata Amritanandamayi Math, in Rameswaram on Saturday. About 50,000 seed balls were dispersed on the day.
The event, conducted in alignment with the Global Seed Ball Campaign, and organised by the C20 Working Group on Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) focusing on Climate, Environment, and Net Zero Targets, will achieve the successful aerial dispersal of 5,00,000 seed balls across the district's landscapes in Rameswaram areas.
Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri, Trustee and treasurer of Mata Amritanandamayi Math, presented the seed balls to Rear Admiral Ravi Kumar Dhingra, Flag Officer Commanding of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area who inaugurated the ceremony. These seed balls are slated to be scattered across a vast expanse of around 3715.765 hectares within the district during the monsoon period, as instructed by Captain Vikrant Sabnis, Commanding Officer of INS Parundu.
The seed ball dispersion is a special operation jointly carried out by the forest department along with INS Parundu, with the intention of improving the green cover of the district and creating awareness among people about the importance of protecting the environment. As a part of the initiative, seed balls were showered from a helicopter in the tropical dry evergreen forest areas in Rameswaram.
Commenting on the initiative, Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri stated, "In this world, where approximately 10 million hectares of forests are lost each year, urgent action is non-negotiable to restore the balance of our ecosystems and stability of climate. Deforestation poses a grave threat to the rich tapestry of life on Earth. This campaign isn't just about saving biodiversity; it's about safeguarding our future. Over time, it will reduce the degradation of biodiversity, fortify communities against climate change, and nurture a healthier planet for all. With a current presence across 5 continents and 12 Indian states, stakeholders across the country are taking an active part in C20's Global Seed ball Campaign."
While addressing the media, Ravi Kumar Dhingra stated that this is the first time in the country where seed balls are dispersed aerially. "This aerial dispersal of seed balls in Ramanathapuram marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to restore and protect our planet's ecosystems. With the onset of the monsoon, the INS Parundu chopper will be deployed to disperse the seed balls.Forests that are degraded and with lesser green cover were selected by the Forest Department, following which satellite maps of the same were handed over to INS Parundu. Native species of Ramanathapuram like Thespisia populnea, Cassia fistula Syzygium cumini, Azadirachta Indica, Pongamia pinnata, and Ficus religiosa, have been chosen for the purpose. The seed balls will be dispersed across Rameswaram in the first phase. Action will be taken to disperse the seeds throughout the district later," he said.
"Through the initiative, apart from improving the green cover of the district, the development of native trees in the tropical dry evergreen forest (which is one of the rarest forests in Ramanthapuram) will prevent the growth of Semmai Karuvalam trees," said Hemalatha, district forest officer Ramanathapuram.