KOZHIKODE: Sacred groves (kavus) have for centuries represented the best of communitybased conservation in the country. Now, in a unique eco-restoration initiative, 120 new sacred groves will be set up in 42 wards covering three panchayats of Pulpally , Mullankolly and Poothadi in Wayanad. The project is part of an ongoing Rs 80-crore integrated project to combat drought and aridification in the Kerala- Karnataka border region.The project is being implemented by the department of soil survey and soil conservation with help of local bodies. Sacred groves render a variety of eco-system services — conservation of biodiversity, soil conservation, erosion control and water conservation.Ninety of them will be set up this year itself in three panchayaths. The project, once realized, would become the largest cluster of kavus to come up anywhere in the state in modern times. The groves which will be set up over the past three years is estimated to cost Rs 30 lakh. An incentive of Rs 10,000 would be provided for each grove spread over 10 cents of land. An annual grant of Rs 5,000 each would be provided for the next three years for their upkeep.“Forty seedlings of around 15 indigenous plant and tree species normally found in sacred groves will be planted. The plot will also have a bio-fence,” said P U Das, district soil conservation officer, Wayanad.Das said that they are in the process of identifying spots for setting up the groves, mostly places of worship likes temples and churches. Work on a sacred grove has already been started near the Seetha Devi temple at Pulpally. “It is a purely a secular initiative and people who do not want to attach religious connotation to it can consider it as creation of a bio-diversity rich forest fragment for communitylevel conservation. Apart from places of worship we plan to promote establishment, schools and other available public or private land in the 42 wards identified in the three panchayats,” he added.Sacred groves, which were part of many Hindu ancestral homes in the past had cultural and spiritual significance attached to them and were normally left undisturbed making them abodes of biodiversity. The vegetation consisted of multiple canopies along with shrubs, lianas and herbs.The project to combat drought and aridification in the three panchayats also has a slew of other eco- restoration activities like rainwater harvesting, construction of weirs across rivulets of the Kabini river and recharging of water wells. The three panchayats over the past two decades have been facing desertification and acute drought. The project was announced in 2017.“There has been a major shift in rainfall pattern in the area with average rainfall dropping to 1,200mm much belong the district average of 2,800mm. Also, hot winds from Karnataka has exacerbated the aridification of the belt,” Das said.The integrated project seeks to reverse the damages caused by shift in land use pattern of the agro- forest ecosystem due to pepper cultivation. “It caused severe shortage of organic carbon density in soil. It came down to the level of 800gm to 1,300gm in one tonne in the place of five kg in healthy soil. This has led to increased reduction in waterholding capacity of soil and excess surface run-off, causing drought in summer,” he added.

Stay updated with all the Latest Kochi headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.