Our planet is in peril. Everywhere, the beauty of green is being replaced by the grey of concrete. With the loss of forests and green cover throughout the planet, more and more species of flora and fauna are becoming extinct. Deforestation is the single reason that makes most of our world’s ecological imbalances.
Global deforestation over the past 15 years has resulted in the loss of nearly 200 million hectares of forests. In India, total forest cover is estimated to be 63.73 million hectares consisting of 19 percent of country’s geographical area. Of which, almost 13 million hectares are fully degraded and is in urgent need of both afforestation and conservation.
Rapid economic development, industrialization, population explosion and vehicular emissions have led to considerable rise in urban pollution, affecting air, water and land. Rising population has led to a decrease in open spaces and green belts in general. And the same is being applied to Coimbatore as well. These green belts serve as lungs for cities and towns. Trees provide oxygen, rainfall, shade, food, manure and they also act as dust filters in our environment.
In recent years, due to greed and ignorance, we have failed to nurture and develop nature. Just like employment, education and healthcare, pure air and green cover is the need of every individual. We Coimbatoreans have been trendsetters in several ways and now we should once again lead others in establishing a tree friendly life style.
In order to increase rainfall and to reduce the impacts of pollution and heat, Siruthuli has launched an ambitious project of planting 1.5 millions trees in and around the Greater Coimbatore region from the Western Ghats up to the Eastern fringes of the Sub-urban territory.
For Siruthuli, afforestation is very much a part of its mission called “Clean Kovai Green Kovai”. Siruthuli truly believes that trees are instrumental in bringing water to the region. Siruthuli also believes, by greening the whole of Coimbatore we could make our region a little more cooler. Though it would be negligible, by implementing our goals on afforestation, we are indeed positive on making a small step but a big leap on reducing the effects of global warming. Besides addressing those international issues, local advantages are also more. Greening our city increases our own lung space and generates more oxygen for us to have a healthy living. Also, water harvesting will be more and hence it increases our ground water saving potential. Besides all, due to afforestation all Coimbatoreans would surely enjoy the shade and breeze it provides.
Purpose
- To create more and more lung space.
- To plant and nurture trees towards compensating the deforestation made in the name of civilization.
Tasks Involved
- Eco-restoration by increasing forest cover.
- Aerial seeding on the Western Ghats region.
- Planting of riparian forests on the banks of River Noyyal.
- Planting of trees around the tanks and ponds of the city.
- Creating more and more lung spaces by planting trees within the city.
- Planting trees on the street side across the city.
- Encouraging Corporates, Educational Institutions and Residential Associations to take up tree planting in their respective campuses.
- Educate people about the benefits of tree planting and its conservation.
- Keeping a check on unauthorized tree cuttings across the city.
We are sure that green swaying heads of trees everywhere can change the face value of Coimbatore. And we have set our foot on this journey, in a very gentle way.