Another green revolution starts

Another green revolution starts

Anju V Padma

Trivandrum: The Students Empowerment for Environmental Development (SEED) of Mathrubhumi in association  with the Coconut Development Board (CDB) has started a new venture named ‘Ente Thengu’. This programme aims to pave way for a green culture with the participation of students in the schools in Kerala.

           

            Being a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, the programme is planned to be launched in 38 educational districts which came first in the survey of SEED. It will help the student community to create an attachment  towards Kerala’s once most cultivated coconut trees.

           

            The formal inauguration of ente thengu started with a training programme on 30th September with the participation of all the co-ordinators from 38 educational districts. As a part of this programme, each school is provided with 15 coconut plants which should be planted in the school campus itself.

            Trained teacher co-ordinaters will guide the students to look after the planted trees. All the technical support and guidance will be given by the Coconut Development Board. Continuous monitoring and updating of details of the planted trees should be done by the Principal or Headmaster of the school to the CDB and SEED. The first review meeting for the project is scheduled to be conducted soon. There will be inspections and enquiry done by SEED jury members and the officers from the Environment Protection Committee, Alwaye.

           

            The period of activity of SEED project will be from June to December. As a pilot project ‘Ente Thengu’ is expected to plant 1, 50,000 coconut trees in 10,000 schools in Kerala by the last week of October 2011. “If we are successful in our mission, within a few years, Kerala will be filled with coconut trees”, says Rakesh, co-ordinator of SEED programme.