Yashodhara V Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network - Moodbidri (MS)
Moodbidri, Aug 31: Assistant teacher of a school has made a revolution in the campus of the school with her own personal expense and turned the area that was lying vacant into a lush green arecanut farm.
Janet Lobo, who is serving as an assistant teacher in the Mantradi government school of the taluk since 15 years, is lauded by the villagers surrounding the school for her effort of converting the barren land around the school into prosperous arecanut farm. Janet has spent Rs 50,000 of her personal money to get the land levelled for planting the arecanut saplings. As many as 105 arecanut saplings are planted and they are being nurtured and taken care by erecting a protective fence around them.
Janet has also made water facility that is required for the plants. Janet has taken up this noble cause with the intention of not only making the campus of the school lush green but also of utilizing the income from the farm for the development of the school in future, when the plants grow into trees and start giving yield of arecanut.
Two years ago, an education officer, who had visited the school, had given the advice to grow vegetable plantation around the school on the land that was left vacant. But Janet got inspiration from another teacher who has made similar cash crop plantation and decided to plant arecanut saplings. Her husband, transport entrepreneur, Ronal F Cardoza also encouraged the good thought of Janet and provided her all the complimentary support. Sundara Poojary and Naveen Naik are providing the manure required for the farm after the saplings were planted.
Vegetable farm for Bisiyoota lunch
In addition to the arecanut farm, the school has also developed a vegetable farm with the help of teachers, members of SDM and old students of the school. This has helped to provide nutritious food to the students of the school in the afternoon for the Bisiyoota. The coconuts required for the Bisiyoota are also available from four coconut trees that are planted around the trees. In addition, five coconut saplings are also planted. Jackfruit is available during the season from the five jackfruit trees in the school campus.
Donors, villagers and old students of the school also have joined hands in the development of the school.