NCC cadets engage in landscaping

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cadets of 2 Kerala NCC Battalion and cadets of NCC Directorate (Kerala & Lakshwadeep) who returned from Republic Day Parade at New Delhi were part of a ‘green’ initiative at the Institute of Land Disaster Management (ILDM) in PTP Nagar on Friday.The cadets assisted the institute in developing a butterfly and medicinal garden on its premises. They were part of a project to landscape an area of one acre and planting of nearly 500 varieties of various medicinal and flowering plants.The project was the idea of ILDM director Dr Keshav Mohan and it was completed in a record time of three days, Defence officials said.One hundred and fifty cadets participated in the project, which was executed under the directions of Colonel Joseph Purakel; and Dr Keshav Mohan, in appreciation of their work, even composed a poem ‘Poompatta’, which he read out to the cadets. All material support was provided by ILDM for the project.Civil and military dignitaries visited the garden and expressed their appreciation of this environmental project which the NCC termed a ‘a unique pioneering effort undertaken by the NCC in the State.’