Work on to save mango orchard with rare varieties

The team has worked out the market price of the land and the biodiversity board will seek Rs 1.75 crore from the state government for acquisition and conservation,says board’s Member Secretary Dr Neelima Jerath. “This orchard will be listed as a special item on the agenda of the next board meeting,” she says. On June 2,The Indian Express had highlighted the rich biodiversity of the ten-acre orchard,which is off the beaten track and needed a sound conservation plan. It is important to save the orchard as it is located in the ecologically-fragile kandi area.

On its visit to the Inami Bagh,the board team also studied another mango orchard in the neighbourhood,Chakdhari Bagh,and discovered rare varieties and a high degree of biodiversity. A member of the team says they will also include this orchard in their plan.

Earlier,the board officials had information that the Inami Bagh was owned by two NRI brothers,but after studying the records they have found a third owner who has sold off his share. The challenge before the board now is to bring around the NRI brothers and the owner of the neighbouring orchard for acquisition.

Dr Jerath says though the government can acquire any land it wants,it does not want any ill-will to brew among the villagers,who are proud of the over-a-century-old heritage. “We are trying to get in touch with the owners,but will first meet panchayat members. If owners do not wish to part with their ancestral property and agree to erect a boundary wall around the orchard,we can still go ahead with the conservation plan. In fact,we will then make the owners members of the committee set up for the biodiversity management of the land.”