U T Khader, Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, inaugurated the ‘Lakh Vruksha Seed Ball’ campaign in Harekala, aiming to plant one lakh trees using seed balls. This initiative is a collaborative effort by Life Nest Trust, journalists from Ullal, and Mangalore University.
At the event held at Harekala Ramakris+hna High School auditorium, Khader praised the campaign for its innovative approach in areas where direct tree planting is challenging. He recounted his similar 2015 initiative in the hilly areas of Kolar district, highlighting the effectiveness of seed balls.
Khader also reminisced about the historical success of the Million Tree Project in Harekala, led by social worker Moideen, which significantly transformed the village’s landscape. He commended the current seed ball campaign for raising environmental awareness among students and the community.
The inauguration featured assistant forest conservation officer P Sridhar, Dr. Prashanth Nayak from Mangalore University’s biology department, Padma Shri awardee Harekala Hajabba, environmentalist Madhav Ullal, and other dignitaries. Students of Ramakrishna School performed an environmental song, and physical education teacher Tyagam Harekala hosted the event.
Khader emphasized the importance of reconnecting with nature and pledged government support for such environmental initiatives. He also praised the contributions of Ramakrishna School to the community and congratulated alumna Dr. Vidyakumari on her appointment as the deputy commissioner of Udupi.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from the school’s headmistress, Ushalata.