Youth group takes up tree plantation drive to pay tribute to Kalam

M.Sowmiya

Chennai, 26 Oct 2015:The youth group takes up tree plantation drive in the Nolambur to pay tribute to the former President APJ Kalam.

It all began in the terrace of R Goutham Raj’s house at Eleventh Avenue in Banu Nagar, while chatting with school friends. He did not want to lose touch with them after school and suggested they form a group called ‘Jatayu’ and involved themselves in charitable activities.

Out of 40, just a few responded initially, but he was let down. After carrying out few activities the neighbourhood began taking them seriously and more volunteers started trickling in.

In its latest project, the 30 member youth group is planning on ‘Vithai Kalam’, a sapling planting drive across Nolambur and neighbouring areas starting from 15 October as a tribute to former President Dr. APJ Kalam, says T Sai Kishan from Thiruvengada Nagar.

K V Shiva Rama Krishnan also from Thiruvengada Nagar says, their target is to plant 8400 saplings as it is the 84^th birth anniversary of Kalam from approaching various residents welfare association to door to door campaigning, we are roping in individuals to facilitate the drive, and the members are keen on giving at least one plant to each house, he adds.

A sapling contributor, S Kannan of Lenin Nagar, says medicinal plants, vegetables, flowering, non-flowering and other saplings will be given free of cost. T Vignesh Sridhar, another member, says their responsibilities extends to conducting monthly review of the plants as well.

For Sathish Venkatraman from Oragadam, he is part of Kalam’s dream to make the nation a greener place and the project is timely for the neighbourhood. Though occupants of few apartments have turned down the request to take in a sapling, S Priyadharshini from Lenin Nagar is not let down.