Dhanbad: A significant plantation drive using the seed ball technique was organized at IIT-ISM by the Horticulture Section of the Office of the Dean (Infrastructure), in collaboration with the EIACP Programme Centre (RP) and the Department of Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE). This event was part of the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign.
The initiative saw active participation from Professor B.K. Mishra, Associate Professor in the ESE Department and a member of the Environment Advisory Committee, Dr. Dhiraj Kumar, Horticulture Officer, and Bishwajit Das, Programme Officer at the EIACP Centre (PC-RP). Alongside these leaders, approximately 35 research scholars from the ESE Department and several gardeners contributed to the drive.
During the event, 2,000 seed balls were dispersed across two designated areas: Barba and Nirsa Campuses of IIT-ISM in Dhanbad district. Each seed ball was crafted from a mixture of soil, compost, and neem cake, with seeds including Mango, Jackfruit, Neem, Bakul, and Jamun embedded in the center. These species are native to the region and are expected to thrive with minimal maintenance, promoting a sustainable approach to afforestation and enhancing local biodiversity.
The drive was held under the guidance of key IIT-ISM officials, including Professor Sukumar Mishra, Director; Professor Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy Director; Professor A.R. Dixit, Dean (Infrastructure); Professor Rajni Singh, Dean (Corporate Communications); Prabodh Pandey, Registrar; and Professor Alok Sinha, Head of the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering and Coordinator of the EIACP (PC-RP) Centre.
The event underscores IIT-ISM Dhanbad’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its role in advancing natural farming techniques.
