THE MAN WHO GREW A 32-ACRE PRIVATE FOREST
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| P.Abdul Kareem, Puliyankulam near Parappa, Neeleswaram, Kasaragod |
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After years of service in many cities in India and Middle East, P.Abdul Kareem returned to his native village Puliyankulam near Parappa, Neeleswaram, Kasaragod in 1979, with just one dream: to live the rest of his life in sylvan surroundings.
But
the 5-acre plot of barren land he purchased for Rs.3750 did not have even
a single shady tree. Nevertheless
Kareem went ahead with planting saplings.
He dug a few wells in the plot but the only result was loss of
money.
Undaunted,
he pumped water from his nearby coconut farm.
And with the availability of water, the trees started spreading
their canopy. And in their shade other plants and flora came up.
He
plated more and more trees till 1985 and later purchased a few more acres
for aforestation. And as an
experiment he dug a pond in this plot.
Lo and behold, a perennial spring opened up. With its help he later expanded the private forest to 32
acres.
In
his farm there are 10 ponds and wells.
70 families draw their water from here.
There are taps supplying drinking water to weary travelers and
students.
14
years ago his dream came true when he and family shifted to a newly
constructed house in the middle of his forest.
Slowly his efforts became known far and wide.
Ceremonial reception at New Delhi and Dubai, last year’s Sahara
International prize and Kerala Forest Research Institute’s award are
some of the accolades to have come his way.
He
says he did not plant many of the trees seen in his forest.
“We only need to create the environment.
Nature will do the rest. Where
there are trees, birds will come and from their droppings new and varied
trees will come up”.
Courtesy: Ashok Kothamangalam, Kumkumam, April 2002
Contributed by: Administrator
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