Sabujayan, or promoting greenery, one of the favourite projects of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which proposes planting of vetiver grass to prevent soil erosion, is becoming popular throughout the state. It is run by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department.
The scheme started in the district of Nadia a few years back, when the grass was planted along the embankments of six rivers. Till now, of the 743 km of embankments, vetiver has been planted in areas covering around 300 km. The grass is produced in over 70 nurseries.
Seeing the success in Nadia, the districts of Purba Medinipur and Howrah have also followed suit and have found success.
The grass is also used for making the bags used in holding the saplings given to mothers of newborns as part of the sabujshree scheme.
As vetiver is also an aromatic grass, the MSME Department is trying to make the aroma industry popular through its cultivation, and of other aromatic grasses like citronella and lemongrass, in South 24 Parganas (Baruipur), Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia districts. The department is installing aroma extraction units in these areas.
Source: Millennium Post