NGO to plant 3L trees, increase green cover

Tirupur: NGO Vetry, which launched the eighth edition of Vanathukkul Tirupur project on Saturday, plans to plant more than three lakh trees this year.
As many as 13.10 lakh trees were planted across the district in the past seven years as a tribute to late President A P J Abdul Kalam, Vetry’s founder-trustee T R Sivaram said. “In 2004, we restored the breached check dam on Andipalayam lake.The lake received water for the first time in 20 years in 2006, after we cleared encroachments and reconstructed the canal,” he said.
Under the Vanathukkul Tirupur project, the NGO planted native trees in private farmlands to increase the green cover and to attract birds. “We usually start the work in the third week of June after the southwest monsoon sets in. But we have commenced plantation activities this year, thanks to the recent spell of rain. While our target is two lakh trees per year, there are fat chances that we will be able to plant three lakh trees this year because of the recent rainfall. We document the plantation drive using GPS,” Sivaram told TOI.
Several companies and associations in Tirupur currently support the NGO, which has 20 staff working round-the-clock for the Vanathukkul Tirupur project. “A study carried out by an independent agency last year found that we planted nearly 70 tree species. According to the study, birds disbursed 140 more species, including creepers, shrubs and crawlers,” Sivaram added.
Field director of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) S Ramasubramanian, ATR deputy director (Tirupur division) S N Thejasvi and several government officials attended the Saturday’s event.