ANGUL: Paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 151st birth anniversary, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) on Friday inaugurated five orchards having more than 5,500 fruit-bearing trees under its project ‘Kayakalp’ at Basantpur village in the district. The orchards have been developed over 10 hectare land in the coalfields. Besides, infrastructure development projects worth `1.4 crore too were inaugurated on the day. MCL CMD BN Shukla inaugurated the projects through video conferencing from the company’s headquarters.
The orchards named Mahatma Gandhi Udyan, have been developed at Talcher, Bhubaneswari and Balaram areas under Talcher Coalfields in Angul district and Basundhara West and Garjanbahal open cast mines in Sundergrah under Ib Valley Coalfields of MCL.
Apart from these, a Mahatma Gandhi Udyan at Kechhobahal compensatory afforestation site of Samleswari OCP under Ib Valley coalfields was inaugurated by DFO, Jharsuguda. Most of the plants at the orchards like mango, guava, jamun, amla, lemon, bel, papaya, litchi and sapota were collected from Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture (ICAR), Lucknow. In the current fiscal 2020-21, the company has planted 1,49,000 saplings over 78 hectare land in and around its command area.
The CMD also initiated Mahatma Gandhi Smriti Kayakalp, a CSR initiative, at Basantpur village, focusing on creating infrastructure facilities. Under this CSR initiative, company has earmarked `1.4 crore for piped water facility to village households, drainage system, street lighting, renovation of school complex, new community centre and pond embankment.