Palakkad: This Onam, Kudumbasree’s veggie army gears up to bring toxin-free vegetables to your dining table. The veggie army will personally visit houses to help set up terrace farms there. Everything from planting saplings to harvesting vegetables will be under the army’s supervision. Greenhouses will be built on the terraces and vegetable gardens will be set up there. It is enough to provide them space for a garden in the terrace. High yielding native seeds will be sown. The saplings will be planted on soil mixed with cow dung powder and organic manure. Members of the army are given special training in vegetable farming and the building of green house. The amount charged for agriculture using greenhouse built on terrace is Rs 2500 for 25 vegetable saplings. The cost will be less if the requirement of saplings is lesser. The army will visit houses to set up greenhouses on terraces and facilitate cultivation for those who produced the saplings at their houses or bought them from somewhere else. It is enough that they bear the construction cost of the greenhouse alone. The army needs to be informed in advance about the required saplings. They say that vegetables from tomato, okra, chilli, eggplant, gourd and bitter gourd to cauliflower, cabbage and carrot can be cultivated on terraces. The army is ready in all 13 block Panchayats in the district. The vegetable army will arrive to set up terrace farming in not only houses, but also offices and other institutions. Those who are interested in terrace farming need to contact their respective Panchayat office. The vegetable army of Marutharoad Panchayat has so far facilitated terrace farming in 20 houses. It is harvesting time at many places. Agriculture is in progress in lands provided by the panchayats. Vegetable production also takes place in the Panchayat lands. Orders have been received for 25 more houses. Marutharoad Panchayat President A. Sivakumar says that achieving self-sufficiency in vegetables is the goal of the Panchayat. The vegetable army is led by Panchayat Vice President T. P. Radhamani and CDS Chairperson Suguna Rajendran.
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