35,000 Kesar mango grafts planted across 50 gram panchayats in Chandrapur; collector launches drive at Bhendvi

Chandrapur: To make gram panchayats financially stronger while adding green cover, the district administration has planted Kesar mango trees in 50 gram panchayats at the same time, using funds from the VB-G RAM G rural employment and livelihood guarantee scheme together with the District Mineral Foundation. Collector Vasumana Pant launched the district-level drive by planting a graft at Bhendvi in Rajura taluka on Friday, October 9, Chanda Blast reported.

The initiative was conceived by the collector and zilla parishad chief executive officer Pulkit Singh, and heads of departments joined the planting at different locations. The 35,000 high-quality Kesar grafts were brought from the Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli.

To ensure the trees are planted scientifically, the university's scientist Dr Amol Dadmal came to Chandrapur and trained gram panchayat representatives and staff in planting methods, fertiliser management and care of the saplings. At the call of Rajura block development officer Bhagwat Rajewad, panchayat samiti officials and staff also built a sandbag check dam at the site through voluntary labour, a drought-relief step expected to raise groundwater and help the new grafts.

Rajura tahsildar Omprakash Gond, deputy district coordinator of the VB-G RAM G project Girish Dhaygude, agriculture officer Mahesh Watti, assistant project officer Hemant Yerme and Bhendvi's sarpanch and deputy sarpanch were among those present.

Source: Chanda Blast