Crucial Agriculture Department Meeting to Prevent Lightning – Astarang’s Krushnachandra Shares 18-Year Palm Tree Plantation Experience
Astarang, 04/10:
The Odisha government has decided to plant palm trees in five lightning-prone districts of the state. A high-level meeting was recently held under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department, Arvind Padhee, to begin this initiative. For this meeting, Krushnachandra Bishwal, a retired army personnel from Gundalaba village in Astarang block of Puri district, who has been planting palm trees for the last 18 years along the Odisha coast, was specially invited to share his experiences.
Mr. Bishwal shared insights into his journey and expressed gratitude for the state government’s decision. During the meeting, Principal Secretary Padhee and other agriculture officials highly praised Bishwal’s lifelong dedication to palm tree plantation.
As per the decision made in a meeting held on the 8th of the month, chaired by Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu, the Odisha government will carry out extensive palm tree plantation in forested and lightning-sensitive regions through the Forest, Environment, Climate Change, and Agriculture Departments to reduce lightning strikes.
Krushnachandra has set a unique example by creating green belts of palm trees around his village, in nearby areas, and along the seashore. His efforts were previously acknowledged and appreciated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who tweeted his praise.
Mr. Bishwal had joined the Indian Army in 1982 and served successfully during the 1999 Kargil War. After retiring in 2005, he started planting palm trees from Gundalaba to Daluakani, covering nearly 5 kilometers. His decades-long efforts were first featured in the “Samaja” newspaper on May 23, 2020, which drew the attention of the state government.
He has planted over 50,000 palm trees within 100 meters of the seashore to protect his village and the coastal region from natural disasters. These green belts also provide shelter and safety for wildlife and birds.
While trees are often cut for afforestation projects and local development, and many have been destroyed by fire, Bishwal has continued his work with remarkable dedication. He has been invited and felicitated by the Agriculture Department to share his experience as part of the state’s palm plantation drive.
“Nature Friend” Krushnachandra, also referred to as the “Palm Man”, was joined and supported by Sanskrit teacher Bijaya Kumar Bhatt and the Biju Patnaik State Wildlife Organization during this recognition and experience-sharing session.
