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| Sunday, 20 October 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Eco-friendly sacks to plant jak saplings by Vimukthi Fernando A boon... four to five decades ago, cost effectiveness and ease of packing propelled it to popularity. But now, it has become a bane-a major threat and a chief polluter of the environment. Polythene... can't we do without it? That's what the Upper Watershed Management Project (UWMP) is trying to promote it was revealed at the eighth jak planting ceremony, of the National Jak Development Project (NJDP) at Koslanda Badulla, recently.
Farmers involved in the UWMP are now doing away with polythene sacks, which they used to grow tree saplings. Innovative and enterprising, they have come out with creative sacks made out of bamboo, coir, base of the arecanut leaf (puwak-kola) and wood. They have managed to plant all the jak-saplings needed for UWMP's jak planting campaign in the new bio-degradable sacks/pots. The sacks "have a big advantage over those turned out of polythene", explains D.P. Munaweera, Director UWMP. "Made out of natural products, it allows the natural growth of the sapling. It helps retain moisture, enhances air circulation and, best of all does not need to be taken off, when planting. When polythene is used, the cover restricts the growth of roots. The polythene covering needs to be removed before planting. Sometimes, removal of the polythene sack damages the roots of the plant retarding its growth. In contrast, the bio-degradable sacks need not be taken out. The cover disintegrates naturally, allowing the growth of the plant." It had been the villagers of Palawila, Karawita, in the Ratnapura district who showed an interest in this enterprise first. They started making bamboo sacks using raw material easily available in their villages. "We have taught them how to acquire their raw material (bamboo) without destroying the environment. However, most of these are made out of waste products", adds P.M. Dharmatilake, Assistant Director - UWMP, Balangoda area. "Anyone can create these on their own. All you need is a little imagination. But, commitment to the cause is vital" he points out. According to Dharmatilake, the fibrous covering of plantain trees (kesel patta), waste parts of coconut (hanasu, matolu) and many kinds of broad leaves could be used for the purpose. Furthermore, "It also provides an avenue of income generation for the villagers." The project, in order to encourage farmers to get used to the new practice buys the pots back for their nurseries. One of the goals UWMP wants to achieve for 2002, is to plant a forest cover of 500 hectares, in the upper watershed areas throughout the country. "About two million plants are needed for this purpose. We used to raise different kinds of valuable plants in polythene sacks previously. But, now our aim is to get rid of polythene and raise at least 3/4 of the plants (1.5 million) in bio-degradable sacks", says Dharmatilake. Though the cost of these bio-degradable sacks is a little higher than that of polythene sacks, the ultimate result, in environment conservation 'is worth it.' |
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