Haritha Mission's Green Island project a massive success, creates 3,302 sites in six months

Alappuzha: The Pachathuruthu or Green Island project initiated by Haritha Keralam Mission to protect Kerala's greenery has created 3,302 green islands within a span of six years and two months. The project, launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on World Environment Day in 2019 by planting a Neermathalam sapling at Pothencode Manalakam Family Health Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, has so far brought 1,141.71 acres under green cover across Kerala.

The initiative was implemented through 832 local self- government institutions. Work is progressing to introduce the scheme in around 150 more local bodies. This is the first initiative in India to green such an extensive area of barren land under a single project. The program is now moving towards its next goal of creating 5,000 green islands.

Kasaragod district has the highest number of green islands, totalling 798. Kannur district leads in total area, with 328.84 acres turned in to greenery. The largest single Pachathuruthu, spread over 136 acres, is located in Muzhakkunnu panchayat of Kannur. In Kasaragod, Kannur, Alappuzha, and Kottayam districts, 22 mangrove green islands have been developed across 35.64 acres. Additionally, 129 "Devaharitham' green islands have been formed around temples and sacred groves for conservation.

Green islands now exist in all local body jurisdictions, making Thiruvananthapuram the first district in Kerala to be entirely covered by the initiative.

A Pachathuruthu is a human- made green patch developed under the leadership of local self -government bodies, NGOs, public sector institutions, departments, or individuals. It involves identifying land and planting native species of trees and plants. Even small, unused plots starting from half a cent can be transformed into green islands. These may include fruit trees, shrubs, climbers, and medicinal plants, but not invasive species or grafted varieties.

Saplings are supplied by various institutions such as the Social Forestry Department, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Palode Tropical Botanical Garden in Thiruvananthapuram, Malabar Botanical Garden, Kerala Forest Research Institute, and the State Medicinal Plants Board.

In Ernakulam district, as part of railway- related development, green islands will be created at 12 locations to compensate for lost mangrove forests. Railways have provided financial support to local bodies to establish new green areas on three times the land lost. One such island is planned in Ernakulam, five in Alappuzha, and six in Kollam.