To commemorate the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, farmers across Tamil Nadu launched a week-long plantation drive in which 1.16 lakh saplings will be planted on 285 acres in 23 districts of the state as part of the Isha’s Cauvey Calling drive. The high-value timber saplings will be planted in private farmlands.
The week-long plantation drive will happen in more than 50 locations in 23 districts including Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Salem and Madurai among others. Events were held in some of the districts to launch the drive. In Salem, the Salem South AIADMK MLA Thiru. AB Sakthivel participated as a special guest. A similar event in Ariyalur district was graced by DMK MLA from Thiruvaiyaru Thiru. Durai Chandrasekaran. Amma District Collector Thiru. Jayakanthan participated in an event held at Kalaiyarkovil, Sivagangai District.
Volunteers from Cauvery Calling initiative joined farmers in planting saplings at various locations. Teak, Sandalwood and Mahogany are some of the most popular high-value species. Farmers are expected to plant a minimum of 400 trees and a maximum of 10,000 trees on their farmlands.
The first plantation drive was launched in Ariyalur district on 30th September. A similar drive was organized by Cauvery Calling volunteers last month in which farmers across Tamil Nadu planted 1.26 lakh trees in memory of Maram Thangasamy, one of Tamil Nadu’s most respected farmers.
The drives are being organized in the first planting season since the launch of the Cauvery Calling movement last September. Till date over 83 lakh saplings have been planted by farmers on their farmlands in the Cauvery river basin spanning Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.