A Volunteer's Story - A Green Warrior's First Year With CTC!

MY GREEN JOURNEY WITH CTC………

By mid 2012………..

Me: Arivazhagan please do not plan this weekend to your home town, since we have to rush up with Netherlands’ parts…..

Arivu : What chezhiyan? Continuously for 3 weeks I have missed my trekking activities….

Me: What trekking??? Where??

Arivu: I’m member of “Chennai trekking club” & we use  go for treks on weekends……

Me: Super! Which are the places? And how about the team!

Arivu: nagala,tada etc………..

This how I came to know about CTC aka CHENNAI TREKKING CLUB! Immediately I registered, and finally I was invited for a plantation drive on 26.08.2012 at SMK COLLEGE OF ENGG. This was my first activity in glorious journey.

The first person who invited us was SABA at tidal park, even though it was slightly showering on that day I enjoyed planting after long time…

The second drive was at Kattupakkam organized by Sridhar and Bhagat. and only known person from the previous Plantation Drive was Siddharth.

Every week end I use to take part in plantation drives, it was in Madha institute of technology one Gentle man welcomed me with a smiling face, and he was none other that our Manager SIVA…..

WALK OF A LIFE TIME- Emperor’s 50th Trek

First I was not short listed for this journey and later on I received a call from Jagadeesh that I have been selected for trip and enjoyed my first trip with THE EMPERORS!

While rushing to SRM Bus terminious one great person rang me up & enquired the time of arrival! He is none other than MASU.Aravindh introduced me to this Great Gentle man.

From the start till the end of the trip it’s really enjoyable and will remember for my life time.Then it was plantation drive with Malan and selva at pondy and after completing the cycle trip with Emperors’ Prem we started again………

Collaboration with TN Forest Dept…..

In order to reduce the overload for Organizers’ in the plantation drives, like procuring saplings, tree guard, and other things, I first went to TN horticulture department for seeking assistance and to take part with them in ongoing projects, their one Assistant Officer Mr.Navaneetha kannan diverted me to approach Tamilnadu forest department.

In feb 2013 MR.IRULANDI  IFS helped me by providing DFO Sounderrajan sir  details and told to approach him for any assistance for plantation drives in urban region, and he was the first person from TN Forest Dept to invite all our members to his office and appreciate our activities

And also supported us in the initial phase of Kanchi plantation even though it was out of his scope.

KANCHI – AYYANGARKULAM.

In the month of March, I was sent by Masu on behalf of our team to view the location at Ayyangarkulam. The place was some what isolated and none other than PALM tree, while discussing with village people they urged me to sign the papers which were submitting to EO. Just signed thinking our team in mind that we would turn dry place to greenish…. After a week, we started initial plantation which was the most tiring tree plantation drive in LGOOO history.

After two periodic visits, in the third visit I was surprised to see the pipe line connections made around the lake to water the saplings and almost all saplings were in good condition.

JE ulaganathan made his words true!

Though I visited most no of times to ayyangarkulam can’t able to take part in 1st annuvasery drive which was on sat’day….. I’m very sorry for that!

YERANGADU ARBORETUM

In the month of Nov 2012, the news was published in Hindu Stating Scientific Arboretum Flourishes…………. After a long chase I got the contact details of this and we planned to visit, the place where all kinds of tree were planted and maintained with care. Though it was a nice to see those species of trees in one place but it’s our duty to grow in and around our city for next generation, so those who have missed please visit this place at least once.

Tree Census

A month back we collaborated with Prof.Narasimhan who started tree census program first time in our country and for this we also started the desk work. This program is time consuming but at the end we can just say the tree conditions in our city.

I just started  as a basic volunteer into this group, in the course of a year got so many links and who have same care and approach to nature, so I thank this group which had given me an opportunity to take part in all activities of plantation drive.

MANY THANKS TO OUR FOUNDER, Gentleman PETER.

MANY MANY THANKS TO ALL CTC FRIENDS.

And…..

I also thank

Mr.Navaneetha Kannan, Assistant Director TN Horticulture training centre – who diverted me to Forest department

MR.IRULANDI  IFS TN FD ,who gave me the Chennai DFO Details and linked with Sounderrajan Sir,

Mr. Sounderrajan Sir DFO ,who invited our team to his office and extended his support during his period till he was in Chennai region,

Mr. Ramakrishnan Sir , who gave us permission to visit Scientific Arboretum- We are first team to visit that place as a social group

Mr. Manoj – In charge of Y.A , who helped us visiting arboretum but also provided the guide of that place.

Mr. Oppili – Reporter -The Hindu; who publishes the environment based news, also gave idea to visit arboretum and kindly gave me all replies reg the news which he publishes.

Prof.Narasimhan: the key person for a tree census program and also given list of avenue tree which suits Chennai soils for our future plantation.

and all others who supported ……………..

My Humble Request…

Born and brought up in Chennai city, I have experienced the Cruelty caused to Mother Nature. It was early 1990 when Bislery bottle came in and people bought for a change! Then Aquafina and lot more are in, Now its mandatory for all to take bottled water, the condition before 30-35 years is completely vanished now, we are paying to get our own resourses. No OXSOFINA  nor OXILLARY should be there in place for our next generation, No one should go to super market or other places for procuring Oxygen Bottles,

The battle to win is not so difficult its just…….

Lets Grow Our Own Oxygen……………………….:)

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.” –
Pierre de Coubertin, founder of modern Olympic Games.

             Again I’m recollecting my favorite lines ………..

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” from The Poetry of Robert Frost,

Always a Volunteer…….

Elanchezhiyan Egeswaran