This is our 50th episode. When we started the programme, we didn’t imagine it would go this far, rather thought we might wrap up the series after five or ten episodes. One of the factors that propelled it forward was the popular support we received. Today I am going to show you how a Miyawaki forest can be created on a rocky surface. But before that, let me tell you a couple of things. The previous episode was set apart for countering the false charges made against our Miyawaki Model. It received an overwhelmingly positive response, with many people offering me support through whatsapp messages and comments. More reassuring was the fact that with your co-operation our video reached the common people, and that is of crucial importance to us. Allegations, like the one made against us, are likely to dissuade other individuals too from taking up similar projects, and this may even push the Miyawaki movement in Kerala off its rails. That was the reason why we gave an explanation last week. Thank you all for watching it. Now, let’s come to today’s topic.
I happened to go to the factory of the Titanium Industries at Thiruvananthapuram yesterday to discuss an afforestation project there. Long back, on an earlier visit, I had seen nothing but mounds of waste all around but now the premises are clean. The factory is situated in 80-85 acres of land within city limits, and the entire area had remained unused. The main reason for this was that as the soil is sandy, everyone assumed nothing would grow there. But the Managing Director and the Chairman, particularly the latter – Advocate Rasheed, whom I cannot congratulate enough – took the initiative to have the entire place cleared. Today, under the supervision of an officer deputed by the State Agriculture Department, tonnes of vegetables are harvested from this beach area every day. There is a prejudice among us that the farming projects of our government officials are no good.
But a personal visit to this site will change that impression totally. Nearly 10-15 acres of the plot have been utilized for banana and paddy cultivation. And it is a sight to watch! Besides, with the help of a Fisheries Society, they grow fish in another part of the premises. It took only one or two years to change this area so radically. Vegetables harvested here are used in the canteen, and the excess sold. I say all this for a reason. How much land we leave unused in Kerala, not only land with sandy soil like this one, but fertile plots! Acres and acres of rich paddy fields are left uncultivated. A single visit is all it takes to convince you how wonderfully such plots of land can be used. This is the topic I’m going to speak about today.
It is possible for us to reclaim rocky land and abandoned quarries, and create forests there. Of course, it requires some heavy investment. But when you consider the money that a quarry yields, what you spend in creating a forest there may appear trivial. At the very least, a forest on a rocky terrain will be a real asset in the future, and will solve many of the problems created by quarrying activities. I saw this phenomenon bear fruit at a place called Kanagawa in Japan, on 12 acres of rocky land. It looks like a huge forest from outside. Only when you go inside and see the soil filled within grilles and the roots penetrating the rocks that you realize the truth. So I decided to try out that model of afforestation here.
This is only a demonstration piece, and not an attempt to create a big forest. This is a 6 m x 2 m area; that is, a 12 sq. m. or roughly 125 sq. ft plot. Here we plant 50 saplings. The tree varieties are those that grow like the banyan on rocks. We have to check how the saplings of the sub-trees and shrubs grow here. First, we marked out one sq. m. segments in the selected area, and then bored holes on the surface. Down below are rocks that have been broken. There I saw how trees seek out fissures through which they send down roots. So we drilled holes here in order to give roots the space to grow through. Over the other holes drilled into rocks we erected one-metre-tall grilles, and the enclosed spaces were filled with a mixture of soil, manure, cow dung powder and so on. That formed the seed bed into which we planted the saplings. We believe the roots will eventually go down the holes in search of water below the rocks. The planting was done nearly three weeks back, and the roots have become firm in the soil. In a year’s time, we will know whether the saplings could overcome the summer, and show a good rate of growth, sourcing the water from below. If our experiment succeeds, we will be able to create forests on any rocky surface.
Now, let me talk about the expenditure involved. It is true that the project is expensive, and the drilling process took three-four days to complete. The grilles are made of iron, and sheets are welded to them. Then, there is the cost of soil, manure and cow dung powder used to fill up the space to a height of one metre. The entire expenditure comes to three times the usual cost of a regular Miyawaki forest. The moot point is: is the deal worth so much? That is a question of perspective. When I was a pre-degree student, I weighed 80 kilos. On contracting an infection, I went to a practitioner of modern medicine and he immediately asked me if I was on a strict diet. Actually, I had reduced my food in order to reduce weight. So the doctor advised me to stop dieting. His opinion was that some people require more food than others. When I went back to my normal eating habit, my cough disappeared.
The same principle works here. When we put up a forest on bare rock, we need to create the right environment because the heat here in summer is unbearable. So the expense will be high. As to the question “Is it necessary?” my response is, it depends on your point of view. Those who believe that rocky surfaces should be converted into forests may follow this procedure. Such people are not likely to consider the money spent on it as wasteful expenditure. My personal take on the matter is that governments and voluntary organizations should come forward to execute such projects. If you share my opinion, please try this out.