Forest wing gets choppers ready for aerial sowing

Visakhapatnam: With the monsoon setting in over the state, the forest department is bracing up for aerial seeding using helicopters to ensure that green cover is increased.

The state government has estimated 3,500 tonnes of seeds each to be put out through aerial seeding and manual dibbling. The major advantage of aerial seeding is the efficient coverage of a large area in the least amount of time.
Aerial seeding facilitates seeding in areas that otherwise would be impossible to reach with traditional methods.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had appreciated the efforts of the forest department of in taking up aerial seeding last year and wanted the department to take up one lakh tonnes of seeding this year citing the massive reforestation being done in South Korea through aerial seeding.

However, things did not permit to take up the seeding on that large scale this year, said assistant principal chief conservator of forests N. Pradeep Kumar. Last year, Vizag, Vijayawada and Guntur CRD areas and also in areas which receive North East monsoon rains in Chittoor district were treated with aerial and dibbling seeding. This year, the department would take up in the entire state.

“The forest department had directed the divisional forest officers to ensure the seed palletised for aerial seeding and complete the pelletisation at least one month before the monsoon season as the aerial seeding has to be taken up as soon as the first rains descend,” he added.