N 102 Green Taunggyi
During summer this year,
before the rain came, Taunggyi was very hot, hotter than any other years ,
people said. Facebook posts and other medias pointed out the disadvantages of
trees disappearing and urging people to grow more trees. I could not resist the
urgings and so decided to form an environmental group to plant trees, do some
educative movements, such as erecting billboards and hold some public meetings
to discuss environmental issues.
So with confidence that I will be able to do
so with the help of my two daughters, who are also interested in environmental
issues, I decided to form a group which is the first thing to be done. I called
a meeting with the people I had in mind , who will be acting as ECs and asked
them to participate in the group, and nobody disagreed about their positions. I
took the part of patron only along with two others with Sayagyi U Sein Aung as
chairman.
For some members I
recruited office and plant workers from our Mya Nanda Tun construction. My aim
is if young people who participate in tree planting become interested in
environmental issues it will be good for them and also the environment.For
other members I asked some from my surroundings and they joined willingly. Some
joined by their own wishes after I posted on FB.
I named our group Green
Taunggyi which need no explanation other than to make Taunggyi green with more
trees and thus leading to a better climate and environment. As for funds I
don’t expect to cost much, and so will be taken care by me and my family.
So three meetings were
held to explain why Green Taunggyi was formed and how to plant trees. And also
to form groups which will enable them to have more interests in their group and
be more responsible for their parts.
Meanwhile members of the
EC prepared (bought ) the needed equipment such as earth drilling machine,bush
cutter, hoes, shovels and spades. Bamboo sticks to mark the plants had to be
ordered. Some members went to Taung Lay Lone to buy manure and burnt paddy husk to use as fertilizers. I have
to add that preparing fertilizer is somewhat tiresome. The dried manure have to
be pounded and then mix with burnt paddy husk and put in sacks to distribute to
the planters. This job is done only by staunch members who are willing to give
time and energy for tree planting.
Then we have to look for
places for the planting. We had received 1ooo trees from the forest department
and that is the number our group was determined to plant this year. One
acquaintance took us to his village, Sin
Taung, to a monastery which is bare except for a few trees. We inspected the
place and all were pleased to have found such a nice place for the trees. We
estimated that it will be enough not only for this year planting but also for
years to come.
So on 19th June
, the day when the whole country was planting in commemoration of State
Councilor’s birthday , we all went there to start planting trees. Some digging
had already been done by some members and I heard discouraging news that the
soil is hard and full of stones. My daughter took a backhoe from her father’s
batching plant and dug some days which resulted in the entire southern side of
the monastery full of big sandy holes. Some as deep as 4 feet and still no soil
or earth can be found. Some have some earth in them , but to put in a plant they have to be filled again with earth which
is very tiring.
After 2 days ( 19th
and 23rd ) we haven’t planted many trees. I had calculated to plant
250 trees each day , but it was far from the expectation. I was discouraged and
want to look for other places.I was also afraid that members who are planting
found this place too tiring and depressed.But my daughters don’t want to give
up yet. Some said that trees can be planted by filling up the pits
with earth and that Swedaw trees thrive well in such places.As Swedaw is not in
our collection we went to Taung Lay Lone plantation to buy them.
Well for the time being I
can only expect for the day when young
people succeeded to fill this rocky high ground with greeneries.
Meanwhile some of us had
located a place where we can plant trees by hundreds. It is at Nar Paung
village , in its monastery compound.And had hired a worker to dig as many holes
as he can. It should be volunteer work , but there are not many in our group
who can do this work.So money has to be used for the digging.
Tomorrow , the 30th
of June some of us are going to plant there. Only some of us will be going
because some members from a walking group volunteered to join us. So I will
narrate about Nar Paung tree planting only in my next blog….