Neem Foundation sets up 'Greening India with Neem' programme

Bangalore, Jun 5 (UNI) The Neem Foundation, promoting the neem tree as a sustainable solution to global ecological health concerns, has embarked on 'Greening India with Neem' programme with an objective of planting ten crore neem trees across the country.

Speaking on the occasion of World Environment Day, Foundation Chairman R C Saxena announced that the fifth 'World Neem Conference' would be held in Coimbatore from November 21 to November 24. ''This conference would act as a platform for stakeholders to evaluate technologies based on neem that have potential of uplifting and enhancing quality of life,'' he added.

Dr Saxena said neem was considered as 'Free and Noble tree of India'. Neem was the best shield to check the urban pollution in industrial locations. It had high efficiency of CO2 fixation with its thick foliage canopy and leaf surface area.

He said every part of neem tree was packed with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-histamine, anti-septic and immune stimulating compounds for treating hundreds of maladies. It was also found useful in agriculture, animal and human health, cosmetics and even pet care.

He said the programme would envisage planting of ten crore neem trees in a span of ten years. India had an estimated 20 million neem trees with an equation of one tree for every 50 people. The Foundation wanted to put to use more than 100 million hectares of barren, unproductive and degraded wasteland in the country by planting neem trees. The neem trees could produce useful products worth USD 30,000 in its lifespan of 250 to 300 years, he claimed.

The Neem Foundation in an ambitious project had approached the National Highway Authority of India to plant neem trees along the 16,000 km of national highways on both sides of the road.

Godrej Agrovet Vice President B N Vyas advocated use of neem in agriculture to combat air and ground water pollution.

UNI