THANE: A group of students from a rural Thane zilla parsihad school have created around 20000 seed laddoos (balls) as part of an offbeat initiative to promote
tree plantation
to combat the rising global temperature and gradual depletion of
green cover
due to rapid
urbanisation
.
Around 74 primary grade students from the Savroli, Shahapur ZP school led by teacher Punam Ubale created these balls using soil, seeds of specific trees and plants and manure which were later disbursed in nearby areas where the seeds would naturally germinate and gradually help increase green cover in the region.
Ubale said she watched few global schools using this concept and decided to replicate the same here considering how Thane district was also facing gradual loss of green cover in the region due to rapid urbanisation. After convincing the importance of tree plantation and impact of the
climate change
on the next generations to parents, Ubale managed to bring onboard 74 students and started work in the 2024 summer vacations.
Initially, teams collected discarded fruit, vegetable kernels and using soil, manure rolled them into balls keeping the seeds at the core before they were left to dry in the summer sun. The students rolled an average of 300 balls daily and by summer end, they had amassed over 20,000 units. Simultaneously, the school interacted with experts and forest officials and identified patches where these balls were left by the students during a special team excursion this week.
School officials recount how several villagers were initially curious to know why the children were rolling laddoos and balls in their vacations and once apprised about the intention, readily assisted them in their endeavour.
“These balls don’t need excavation and can just be dropped on wet soil in the rains allowing nature to take over. The balls are placed between thorny plants to keep away herbivorous animals till the seeds germinate and nature takes over to root them in the ground,” explained Ubale hoping that even if a fraction of these balls grow into plants, their mission would be accomplished.
“This is an innovative concept for us. We earlier used to eat the fruits and discard the seeds but now have realised its importance and are determined to make a change,” said Tanmesh Lute, a student.
“We have been discussing a lot about the rising temperature and losing green cover but there is little done to contribute to stop this. The next generation will be worst impacted due to this ecological change and it is necessary to ingrain importance of tree plantation,” said an ZP official hoping the drive is popularised by next year.
Ubale said the concept can be replicated in urban schools where these balls could be dropped along roadsides or highways that have almost become barren due to rapid urbanisation.
English (US) ·