Thanks to the Haritha Keralam Mission, 15 islets of greenery (Pachathuruth) are set to come up in Kottayam soon.
As part of its project to promote biodiversity, the mission has joined hands with local bodies to set up miniature forests in vacant spaces. According to officials, 15 locations, including school campuses and waysides, have been selected for the project in the first phase.
The project is being implemented by a district-level committee headed by the Kottayam district panchayat president.
The zones will comprise around 45 varieties of evergreen trees including Garcinia and prickly padauk, besides herbal plants like aloe vera and water hyssop.
Expansion plans
Meanwhile, plans are afoot to expand the project to more areas by including it in the employment guarantee project.
The authorities also look to coordinate with various voluntary organisations for ensuring proper maintenance of these proposed green zones.