Red army all set for green revolution

Kozhikode: As many as 5,000 CPM workers will foray into a 300-acre area of Avala Pandi in Perambra on September 25 to clean it for the ambitious plan of reviving paddy cultivation in kole land. The 1500-acre area of Avala Pandi was known as the rice-bowl of Kozhikode but lost its significance as paddy cultivation was stopped two decades ago. According to Cheruvannur gram panchayat president K.P Biju, this 300 acre at North Pandi is the most water-logged and weed affected part.

“The huge encroachment of weeds and water-logging caused the loss of paddy cultivation. We will remove the weeds and ready the land for cultivation,” said CPM Cheruvannur Local Secretary T.K Shashi. The programme titled, ‘Ellarum Paadathek, Njaanum’ is to support the Cheruvannur gram panchayat’s project to revive agriculture in barren land. As a prelude to this, machines from the Agriculture University have been used to drain water from the entire area through the rivulets.

“Already 100 acres in the other part of the kole land has been ready for cultivation. In the first phase, organic cultivation will begin here. The sowing of seeds will begin in October,” explained Biju. Dr U. Jaikumaran of the Agricultural University is the project coordinator. The gram panchayat has set aside Rs 11 lakh from its fund and another Rs 10 lakh from the agricultural department under the Agricultural technology management agency (ATMA) scheme. The Gram panchayat will distribute free paddy seeds worth Rs 4 lakh to the farmers. “Cultivation is underway on a smallscale in various parts of the Pandi,” added Biju.