Revitalization of Rivers in India Draft Policy - Isha Guru Jaggi Vasudev

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
SATURATION MODEL
For any work on the river to have the desired effect, it has to be
implemented on the entire length of a target area. The stretch could be
100 km or 200 km on the river side. To see the effect of tree plantation on
the riverside it is necessary that the entire stretch has trees planted on
it. Otherwise, inadequate tree plantation will only serve to increase water
levels in depleted aquifers without translating into increased river flow.
QUALITY PLANTING MATERIAL APPROPRIATE FOR THE REGION
Production of Quality Planting Material (QPM) by establishing
nurseries is the first step to planting trees on the floodplains. A tree
plantation activity of this scale, where trees are planted on both sides of
a river at a width of 1 km for hundreds of kilometers, will require millions
of saplings. And if the QPM is not of good quality it will not produce
economic returns.
Only 10% of QPM reaches the resource-poor remote regions. 4
Quality assurance of genetically improved planting stock, particularly for
long-rotation timber species, is crucial for safeguarding the interests of
farmers and industries.
The projected annual requirement of planting stock is going to be in
millions of seedlings from different tree species. To fulfill this, research
institutions, private organizations and forest departments must come
together to establish good linkages among farmers for the production of
planting material for 20 identified species in the National Agroforestry
Policy. National and state-level research institutions, forest departments
and universities should enter into a convergence mode to cater to the
needs of superior planting stock. There is a challenge to develop a
mechanism for certification of nurseries and planting material. A suitable
mechanism for laboratory and nursery accreditation must be developed.
We can study and learn from agencies involved in certification services in
the forestry sector in the country. Well-evolved agroforestry systems can
turn out to be self-sustained production systems wherein zero external
inputs like fertilizers and pesticides are used. These kinds of agroforestry
systems can also be subjected to organic farming certification at the
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