NCC cadets preparing seed balls in Visakhaptanam. File
| Photo Credit: K.R Deepak
Forest officials and local volunteers have begun the mass production of seed balls for a drive to disperse 50 lakh of them across the erstwhile Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, in a bid to widen the region’s green cover.The drive relies on indigenous, rare and drought-resistant tree species, chosen so the new growth can survive and last, and forms part of the State-wide “Harita Samaram” mission to plant 2.5 crore seed balls under the State government.Forest officials and volunteers met at the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary recently for a training programme on producing seed balls on a large scale, the first step towards the target of 50 lakh across the region. The event was attended by senior forest department officers, including Visakhapatnam Chief Conservator of Forests I.K.V. Raju, along with forest officers from Paderu, Parvathipuram, Chintapalli and Anakapalli.Addressing the training, Mr. Raju said environmental action was needed as weather patterns change, and asked the participants to use the seed balls to restore vegetation in the hill tracts, the plains and coastal areas through the coming monsoon. He also asked the public to help the Forest Department by donating seeds from native fruit trees to restore local biodiversity.The method was explained step by step. Participants were told to make a mixture of 70% fresh cow dung and 30% soil to hold and protect the seeds. The seed balls are then dried for three days in a well-ventilated, grass-free area so they do not sprout or rot before they reach the ground.The campaign sits within a larger State-wide effort under the goals set by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, who want 2.5 crore seed balls spread across Andhra Pradesh to lift the State’s green cover.Speaking to The Hindu, a forest official in Anakapalli district said the district had been given a target of dispersing 20 lakh seed balls. “We are readying for it,” the official said. Published - May 28, 2026 05:51 pm IST
