Isha Foundation launches tree-based farming model for ryots

Bengaluru, Aug 2 (PTI): Isha Foundation, a spiritual
organisation, which has undertaken the campaign Cauvery
Calling to revive the river of the South, launched its second
major farmer outreach programme on Monday.
Covering 1,785 Gram Panchayats in 57 Taluks throughout
the nine Cauvery basin districts of Karnataka, Sadhguru Jaggi
Vasudev of the Foundation said, the coming eight weeks would
see 1,800 events to popularise tree-based farming model among
the farming community.
The Rally for Rivers Board and the Cauvery Calling
panel met today to formalise the objectives and the action
plan for the new initiative, he told reporters here.
According to him, 11 million saplings were planted in
farmers' land across the river basin last year.
The Karnataka government offered a subsidy of Rs 125 on
each saplings spread over four years, he said.
He said 890 people would be working for Cauvery Calling
to get saplings by contacting the local farmers.
When asked about the proposed Mekedatu reservoir project
at Kanakapura in Ramanagara district across Cauvery, which is
a bone of contention between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,
Sadhguru said the controversies between the two States were
unfortunate.
"Cauvery is just 40 per cent of what it was 50 year ago.
That should be our concern. We can build whatever we want and
all this is about how to use it. I am talking about how to
save it," he said.
He further said the controversy can be sorted out by
sitting together if the issue is about Cauvery water
distribution. PTI GMS
NVG NVG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)