TIST
May 2005
No shade tree? Blame not the sun, but yourself.
CHEZHUMAI ©
Land Regeneration – Removing Velikathan
Velikathan is a tough wild plant, which has grown into huge bushes in most of the areas of Tamil Nadu. The situation in some villages in Kanchipuram and Arakonam areas is worser, as Velikathan has spread all over the village. The thorny branches and the heat produced by Velikathan executes all the surrounding trees / plants. The only use with Velikathan is firewood, this is used as firewood in homes and hotels.
Now a days people have shifted to use gas for cooking instead of firewood in homes and hotels, because firewood smoke is a serious health hazard, making Velikathan growth in our villages mostly undesirable. Let us uproot the Velikathan and regenerate the land, so that, the human friendly trees like tamarind and neem trees can be grown in those lands. Now it is the dry hot season. There will not be much work in the field. TIST advises every member to make a target, i.e., every member should uproot at least two Velikathan trees. If this works out, just in Chittoor village alone, more than 200 Velikathan trees can be destroyed. More important, do not burn the uprooted Velikathan trees; use them for making barriers for your groves and pole for the Grove Name Boards. One small example, the Salsa Small Group of Mel Kodungular had lost at least 5,000 casuarina seedlings due to the wild weed Velikathan. Once we begin the process of land regeneration by uprooting the Velikathan, the process of putting the land to better use will follow.
Time to Start Nursery
Land regeneration; at the same time as land regeneration TIST Groups can start nurseries. April to July, it is the severe hot and dry time, do not go for purchase of seedlings for planting. The soil is very dry and hot; the tender seedlings cannot withstand the heat. The best job to do now is to start a nursery. Maintain a nursery with minimum 1000 seedlings. Before you start a nursery, call for a meeting with your small group. Discuss about the soil & climatic condition, and mainly availability of water, accordingly select the species. TIST advises the members to select some fruit bearing species, so that there will be good additional earnings, and the trees will also stand for more than 15 years, which is the most important recommendation of TIST.
Do not waste money in buying polythene bags to keep the seedlings. Nandha Small Group of Peruvalayam uses the polythene covers of foodstuffs for keeping the seedlings. One or two small groups of Chittoor had their seedlings in the use and throw cups.
If the seedlings are arranged near the house, the maintenance is relatively easier.Seedlings can be protected from cattle and direct sunlight. Whatever water is used while cleaning your house, utensils etc. can be diverted to the seedlings.
The seedlings should be kept in the polythene bags till September end. The transplanting can be done in October. October to December is the time for rain and fog; the newly planted trees will grow very fast during that time. The causality level will be very low. Before the next dry season comes, all the transplanted trees will grow well to good strength to withstand the heat.
Added Income for Salsa and Perumal Small Group
There are few small groups like Salsa & Chandiran of Mel Kodungular and Perumal of Marudham who are with TIST for more than two years. These three small groups have more than 1.25 lakhs casuarina trees. These casuarinas trees have grown more than 10 feet in height. The wise act of these three small groups have fetched them more than Rs.30,000/-, this is other than the TIST Voucher Payment. The members have trimmed the side branches of the casuarinas trees, so that the tree grows fast upwards. These trimmed branches fetched them considerable amount. Casuarina trees gets only two such payments, but if it is a fruit bearing, the additional earnings will be every year, for instance, Balaji Small Group earns more than Rs.15,000/ - every year from the Cotton trees, which is other than TIST Voucher Payment.
Grove Name Plate
It is very important to have the name board in every grove. Immediately after the quantification, the TIST quantifier will take a photograph of every grove. While taking the photograph of the grove, group members should position themselves near the grove name board pole, so that, every photograph of the groves will have the image of the group members, name board and of course the trees. The TIST quantifier will be starting the next round quantification during the mid of May 2005, by that time, every small group should have placed the name board in their groves. Name board should have the Name of the Village, Name of Group and Name of the Grove.
Question and Answer
Answer for Chittoor Small Groups
The main goal of TIST is to renew the status of woodland in Tamil Nadu; no one should cut down even a single tree. TIST is not specific with any particular species; you can grow any tree, but if you select a good species, they will stand as life long asset.
You all say that, if you plant species other casuarinas and eucalyptus, the number of trees per acre will be very little and that will affect the voucher amount (earning). TIST says that, there will not be any difference in the yearly earnings if the selection of species is done prudently. Plant trees like, Mango, Guava, Tamarind, Sapota, Cotton, etc. These trees will get a great earning once in a year, which is other the TIST voucher payment. More over, conservative farming is not being followed currently. You can also have short time crops like, chilly, ladies finger, brinjal, etc. in between the trees during the initial stage of the trees, i.e., 6 months to 1 year. Salsa, Chandiran, SindhuKavi small groups followed the conservative farming and they had a great benefit of the conservative farming during the initial stage. If useful trees are planted and conservative farming is followed, there will not be any difference in earnings between the small group which has casuarinas/eucalyptus and the small groups which has fruit bearing trees.
TIST India
Mr. Prabakar Srinivasan, Project Manager
Mr. A. Joseph, TIST Coordinator and Correspondent
Schedule for Node Meeting
Node Villages Covered Group Center Day Session From To Chamundi Chamundi, El Endathur, Agili Mel Kodungalur 1st Sunday 01.05.2005 05.06.2005 Morning 11:00 AM 1:00 PM Mel Kodungalur Singapalli, Ulundhai, Mel Kodungalur, Kattukolli Mel Kodungalur Kunnavakkam 1st Tuesday 03.05.2005 07.06.2005 Evening 5:30 PM 7:30 PM Peruvalayam Peruvalayam, Melapulam, Mottur Melapulam 2nd Saturday 14.05.2005 11.06.2005 Morning 9:00 AM 11:00 AM Kattiampandal Kattiampandal, Vellaputur Kattiampandal 2nd Sunday 08.05.2005 12.06.2005 Morning 9:00 AM 12:00 AM Chitoor KeeraNallur, Chittoor, Molachur, Nandhimedu, Attuputtur, Singadivakkam, Marutham, Jambhodi Molachur, Marutham, Jambhodi 3rd Sunday 15.05.2005 19.06.2005 Afternoon 3:00 PM 5:00 PM Kandoor Sokandhi, Kandoor Molachur 3rd Sunday 15.05.2005 19.06.2005 Evening 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Aandiseruvallur Vedal, Aandiseruvallur, Kottavakkam, Melpadavur, Seruvallur, SeruvallurMettucolony Vedal 4th Saturday 28.05.2005 25.06.2005 Afternoon 3:00 PM 5:00 PM n
