Nature lover sets up seed bank at home in Maha to promote tree plantation

Latur: A 36-year-old nature enthusiast has set up a seed bank at his home in Maharashtra's Latur district to promote tree plantation and make people aware about the importance of green cover as well as the hazards of air pollution and global warming.

A district administration official lauded the initiative of Shivshankar Chapule, a resident of Renapur tehsil in Latur, to provide seeds to the people free of cost, and said many students and citizens have drawn inspiration from him to take up tree plantation.

Chapule claims to have provided seeds to 5,000 people and some NGOs since he started the initiative three years ago.

A seed bank is a place where seeds are stored for the preservation of plants.

Talking to PTI ahead of the World Environment Day celebrated on June 5, Chapule said he has converted his home into a seed bank having more than 150 kinds of seeds of indigenous plants and trees.

Chapule, who works at a private gas agency, said he launched the facility three years ago through which he has been providing seeds to the people free of cost to make saplings for plantation, which are beneficial for the health and environment.

"The aim of the seed bank is to increase tree plantation and create awareness about indigenous plants/trees as pollution and temperature levels are going up around the world and the green cover is rapidly getting lost due to industrialisation and rise in population," he said.

Chapule, who has studied till Class 12, has been a nature lover since childhood and has observed the relationship between plants/trees and human beings for the last six-seven years.

He has also been creating awareness about reusing plastic bottles, as he collects the bottles thrown away and uses them to store seeds.

"I visit a forest located nearby every morning, and also on Sundays and holidays to collect seeds. I provide seeds free of cost by postal service to people who are interested in tree plantation. So far, I have provided seeds to 5,000 people and NGOs like Sahyadri Devrai and Sahyadri Foundation, they make saplings and distribute them free of cost," Chapule said.

Tree plantation is the need of the hour and such drives need to be increased, but people do not understand what kind of trees are required to be planted, he said.

"I decided to launch the seed bank in order to create awareness about indigenous plants and to make their seeds available. People should come forward to take up this work to protect our future," he said.

Latur Zilla Parishad agriculture department's campaign officer Gopal Sherkhane appreciated Chapule's initiative.

"A number of students and citizens have drawn inspiration from Chapule and taken up tree plantation on a large scale. Many indigenous species of trees/plants have been destroyed. Chapule creates awareness about these rare plants through his seed bank," he said.

Considering the importance of tree plantation for conserving the environment, people from different walks of life need to come together to take the drive forward, the official said.