Madhya Pradesh: During lockdown, villagers had sweated to turn a desolate wasteland into lush green forest in khargone

Khargone (Madhya Pradesh): When moving out of Thibgaon, a village that is adjacent to the Khargone district headquarters, one can notice a sea change in the landscape close to the village before and after the corona.

The plantation done by migrant workers over five acres of land using the Miyawaki method during the lockdown on the outskirts of Thibgaon has taken the form of a dense forest, which the villagers have named Madhav Vatika.

The story of this forest, which has existed on a once desolate and lifeless land, is also very intriguing. It all began with the Corona hit the country and the government-imposed lockdown. Following this, thousands of villagers relocated from other cities to their hometowns.

To provide employment and keep people engaged in the work, the government started environmental conservation-oriented works like pond digging and sapling plantations under the MNREGA scheme at the time, and this forest is the result of that.

Thibgaon secretary Mahendra Yadav stated that this entire five-acre area was once desolate and lifeless fallow land.

The plantation was done by the Miyawaki method in the years 2021–22 for Rs 10.25 lakhs, and now a beautiful and unique garden has been developed.

Every evening, many elderly citizens spend their time here, as the place has now become a lovely and enjoyable place for the villagers.

Fruit plants of every season give a feeling of freshness

Yadav informed that about 10,000 saplings were planted here using the Miyawaki technique, and most significantly, the entire plant is still alive today. Saplings including neem, lemon, cilantro, tamarind, surjana subbool, jamun and karanj have been planted. Years-old pond near it is also unique. On the occasion of the second anniversary of the sapling plantation campaign started by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a target has been set to plant 8,000 saplings here.

Plants grow quickly in Miyawaki method

Informing about the Miyawaki technique, Yadav said that it is a Japanese method. The method mimics the way a forest would recolonise itself if humans stepped away. Only native species that would occur naturally in that area without humans, given the specific climate condition, are planted. In the technique, various native species of plants are planted close to each other so that the greens receive sunlight only from the top and grow upwards than sideways. As a result, the plantation becomes approximately 30 times denser, grows 10 times faster and becomes maintenance-free after 3 years.