Kannur (Kerala): Kerala climate activist, Kallur Balan, popularly known as ‘green man’, for planting and nurturing lakhs of trees along the roadsides has taken up another mission of providing food and water to wild animals and birds. There is no denying that the man from the Kallur region of the Palakkad district of Kerela has devoted his whole life to the forest and its animals in that region. Velu Balakrishnan, also known as the ‘Kallur Balan’, even at the age of 74, is still doing his duty in serving the forest and its animals as his own.
Every day, Balan collects 500 kg of fruits and vegetables to satisfy the hunger of the animals in the forest.
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After completing his morning routine, where he climbs the mountain and does yoga, Balan leaves with his Jeep to collect fruits by six o’clock in the morning. After travelling for around fifty kilometres, Balan returns with the fruits around eight o’clock.
He distributes the fruits in the Aiyarmala, Kinavallur, Vazhukappara, Mundur, Dhonimala and Walayar areas of the forest, feeds the birds and animals, and also plants saplings.
Animals ranging from monkeys, hares, and peacocks to wild boars came out of the forest as soon as they heard the sound of Balan’s jeep.
Wholesalers from markets in Palakkad to Ottapalam provide Balan with apples, pomegranates, oranges, guavas, bananas, watermelons, jackfruits, and many vegetables, which are edible even if they start to spoil, free of charge to feed the animals. Many acquaintances will also give him money to fuel the jeep.
This has been his lifestyle since 2000 and it hasn’t changed at all. Over the last 24 years, Balan has spent every day of his life planting and nurturing over 30 lakh tree saplings, which have now grown into magnificent, full-grown trees.
He has also planted thousands of trees alongside highways and other public spaces, helping to restore nature’s beauty in that region, which was once as dry as a desert. In Arangat, Balan is a Balettan (elder brother) to the locals.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
