Alappuzha: Kainady Police Station, housed in a building surrounded by bleak premises and piled with heaps of garbage, is undergoing a transformation into a lush Miyawaki forest. The innovative project, being implemented jointly with the Neelamperoor Panchayat, aims not only to enhance the green cover but also to promote biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The groundbreaking initiative serves as a pilot project under the Net Zero Carbon Keralam project in the district. It envisages setting up a Miyawaki forest on a five-cent corner of the one-acre property that houses the police station building. Simultaneously, the dry areas surrounding the station will give way to both a fruit orchard and a vegetable farm.
Rajeev R, Station House Officer of Kainady, envisions the Miyawaki forest as the region's green lung , capable of naturally maintaining an ecosystem within its mini biosphere. This space will purify the air, store water, and decompose waste while yielding a bounty of healthy produce.
"Saplings of various species, including fruit-bearing and medicinal plants, will be planted in the forest. It will eventually evolve into a dense native forest, requiring minimal maintenance," explains Rajeev.
The Miyawaki technique, pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, revolutionizes urban afforestation by creating dense and native forests in small areas, transforming them into self-sustaining green spaces within a few years.
Traditionally associated with negativity and fear, police stations are often perceived as unwelcoming spaces. However, Kainady police station is now becoming a welcoming spot for locals, a source of green inspiration, according to officials.
K T Thankachan, President of the Neelamperoor Panchayat, emphasizes that the initiative aims to make the local body carbon neutral. "We’ve decided to include local evergreen varieties like Cherupunna and Kudampuli trees, known for their resilience against adverse climates and oxygen-generation capacity, in the forest. We’ll complete the planting of saplings and all in two months," he says.
In addition to Miyawaki forest, plans are underway to transform the 3.5-acre area surrounding the police station into a mango orchard. The proposal to plant Malgova mango trees and to generate income will be considered for the upcoming annual budget.
