Seed bombs for survival of nature

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 17

Keeping in mind the threat to our green wealth, FICCI FLO has come up with its Green Warrior campaign to create awareness regarding aerial reforestation, popularly known as seed bombing. A workshop was held by Geetanjli Rohit Mehra, a environmentalist, who has introduced the city to the concept of vertical garden by creating one at her home, along with her husband and IRS officer Rohit Mehra.

“Seed bombs are practically seeds bind with compost and clay that are used for plantation through aerial methods or otherwise. The concept has been adopted worldwide and is gaining popularity in India as well for its effectiveness and higher mortality rate for seeds,” said Geetanjali Mehra while addressing the workshop.

An interior designer-turned-environmentalist, Geetanjli has created two lakh seed bombs in Ludhiana, her home town as part of her campaign. “We distributed seed bombs to pilgrims with a message to plant them in open spaces while they travel,” she said.

With an aim to create 2.5 lakh seed bombs, Geetanjali has collaborated with the FICCI FLO that has in turn created teams which visit prominent schools to create such seeds and then plant them. “These seed bombs are like preserved seeds with manure or compost preventing the insects from destroying them. Moreover, they do not require to be monitored like potted plants for survival. The seeds, once sown in earth, will grow and nurture themselves organically,” said Geetanjali.

A technique, she mentioned, used by ancient Egyptians and Japanese to plant and ensure survival of tree species, the seed bombs or aerial forestation is an effective method of plantation especially in urban centres. Aarushi Verma, chairperson, FICCI FLO, said that they got to learn a new concept to save and conserve environment while initiating a Green Warrior campaign for community engagement. “We also did an activity with Police DAV School students in the morning where students made seed bombs. The main motive was to show the students how plants are cropped.”