Visakhapatnam: Initiative to create a fresh green cover in City of Destiny

Visakhapatnam: For the first time in Visakhapatnam, a chopper will slice through the air to disperse seed balls.

In a move to increase the green cover, especially in arid regions of the City of Destiny, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is bracing for dropping one lakh seed balls from a chopper along with other modes of transport.

The first-of-its-kind endeavour of the GVMC, supported by the Eastern Naval Command and Pragathi Bharath Foundation, aims at dropping the seed balls as a part of the massive afforestation initiative taken to add a dash of green to the barren patches and water-parched hills and localities.

"The focus is on industrial areas and places where mining activities have been discontinued. Each seed ball is embedded with three-four indigenous seeds rolled with the right mix of quality soil and manure. The idea is to ensure seed germination even amid harsher conditions.

Of the one lakh seed balls, 50,000 will be dispersed through a chopper and the rest through other modes of transport by tying up with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited," says G Srijana, Municipal Commissioner.

With the navy extending assistance by providing a chopper free of cost and Pragathi Bharath Foundation contributing significantly to the afforestation project, the Municipal Commissioner adds that the Rs 8 lakh project aims at creating a fresh green cover in arid regions

Marking Gandhi Jayanti, the GVMC intends to carry out seed balls dispersion on October 2. "The seed balls are getting readied in batches for aerial seeding.

The right combination of soil and compost used for making each seed ball will aid in retaining the moisture of the seeds present in it," explains M Damodara Rao, Assistant Director of Horticulture, GVMC. Along with Gajuwaka, Chinamushidiwada, Aganampudi and Scindia, the aerial seeding will also be carried out in abandoned mine sites that are hard to access for plantation.