The Thanneermukkom grama panchayat in the district has launched a Thulasivanam project with an aim to create a garden of medicinal plants in all households and reduce pollution.
As part of the project, one lakh saplings of basil, neem, amla, among other species, will be planted in 15,000 households in the local body.
Panchayat authorities said on Monday that the local body would ban the burning of rubbish for a period of two months. This will help make the air cleaner. Dry leaves will be used to make organic manure.
The project was launched by Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac on Monday.
Speaking at the function, Dr. Isaac said local bodies in the State should initiate measures to revive agriculture in view of the crisis created by COVID-19 pandemic. “We may face a food shortage due to COVID-19. The State is dependent on supplies from other States to meet its demands for food consumption. We need to grow vegetables and foodgrains here, which will help us overcome a crisis created by a lack of supply from other States. The panchayats should take the lead and everyone should join the farming initiative,” the Minister said.
Apart from the Thulasivanam project, the panchayat launched another project for waste management.