‘Greenman of Odisha’ turns 20 bald hills of Ganjam into green zone

Berhampur: The ‘Greenman of Odisha’ Sudhir Raut and his team of Aryabhatta E & N Foundation-Berhampur nourished 20 bald hills in Ganjam including Balakumari, Podapadar, Bhaludhimbirai, Mahurikalua, Bhuasuni, Changudidei, Pakidi and Karakhola near Hinjilicut; Taratarini, Sahaspur and Bhaliagada Hill near Adapada; Russidalli Pahad near Chikiti; four hills between Bhuasuni near Mahuri Kalua and Bankeswari; hill adjacent to Changudidei near Digapahandi; one hill in Pakidi and some hillocks like Baripada, Sahaspur and Ramachandi and turned the degraded soil into lush green zone from 2019 to 2024. This year, they have taken up two more bald hills near Dumula to convert it into green zone.

“We have been able to provide green cover of about 70 per cent of these 20 bald hills and we planned to reforest these bald hills again by sowing additional 6 lakh seeds and throwing 2 lakh seed balls this year,” said Sudhir. The process of sowing seeds through seed balls was dispersed in inaccessible areas of the hills and seeds sown on hoeing started during ‘Deba Snana Purnima’ on June 11.

“Till now, we have already dispersed 10,000 seed balls and sowed 2 lakh seeds,” said Sudhir.

The Aryabhatta E & N Foundation has already taken up a programme of sowing seeds on the Rushikulya river embankment on 5-km area last year.

“We are now covering another 5-km of the embankment this year and will sow 10 lakh seeds,” he said. They have also decided to plant another 2,000 palm trees on Rushikulya river embankment.

On the survival rate of trees on the hills, Sudhir said the local people cut 10 per cent of the trees for the usage of fuelwood, about 30 per cent of the tender trees are destroyed by grazing of goats.

Though 80 per cent seeds germinate on bald hills, only 30 to 40 per cent survive to grow as a big tree. Some portions of the trees are being consumed by goats, cows and destroyed by the loggers, he said.

“Therefore, we have decided to use maximum number of seeds of tamarind, mango, jackfruit and neem which are cut by loggers to a lesser extent,” Sudhir said.