https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Trained By the DC, Erode Tribals Use Invasive Species For Livelihood

Erode District Collector, H Krishnanunni, is training the tribals to convert a weed Lantana Camara into wealth
Indian Masterminds Stories

District Collector of Erode, H Krishnanunni, IAS, has been working intensely to provide a better life to the tribals in the district. They are the same people who were disconnected from the mainstream for a long time. Now they are full of opportunities and benefits.

Recently, a new project has been started in Erode under the guidance of the District Collector where two purposes are being solved in a single initiative. With the help of the administration, Erode is getting rid of the invasive weed, Lantana Camara, and at the same time providing various livelihood opportunities for the tribals by converting waste into money.

TWO BENEFITS IN ONE INITIATIVE

While speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr H Krishnanunni said “Lantana Camara, which is growing throughout the forests of the state and many parts of the country, is a serious threat to biodiversity and hence it has to be removed from all the forests of the state to maintain the green cover. Hence, we thought of adding some value while this weed will be removed and turned into waste.”

Converting Lantana Camara weed waste into useful products

Upon some trials in other parts of the country and the past experience of the officer, it was decided that the waste generated from removing the weed will be turned into handicrafts. The work is being done in three forest divisions, Thalavadi, Hasanur, and Bargur by a team of administrative and forest officials which includes the District Collector, Additional Collector (Development), Project Director, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) L Madhubalan, and District Forest Officer, Kiruba Shankar.

TRAINING TRIBALS

Mr. Krishnanunni said, “Under the Tamil Nadu Rural Transformation Project which is now known as Vazhndu Kattuvom Project, a group of tribals has been identified and are being trained at the centres run by Adivasi Munnetra Sangam. Experts from Asoka Trust for Research into Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru, and World Wildlife Fund trained the people to make furniture out of Common Lantana.

Products like sofa sets, chairs, bookshelf, flower baskets, round tables, footwear stands, etc. are being produced out of the Lantana Camara weed by the tribals. The weed is uprooted from forest areas and the sticks are bundled and boiled and the bark peeled off. The sticks are shaped to make dustbin, cloth box, basket, bookshelf, sofa sets, round table, footwear stand, tea plate, flower basket, and plate stands.

Tribals making handicrafts out of Lantana Camara waste

Mr. Krishnanunni said, “The products which are produced by the tribals are hence brought to the District Supply and Marketing Society (DSMS) for sale. We are having a showroom under the DSMS which is an umbrella for all the products which are produced by the SHG workers and the tribals.”

Final products made for sale through DSMS

FUEL BRIQUETTES

Apart from the handicraft, the district administration is also innovating to produce more stuff from the invasive weed waste. The administration has planned to produce fuel briquettes. As fuel briquettes will be made out of Lantana Camara, it will help in creating more livelihood opportunities for the tribals. Lantana plant had high calorific value and making fuel briquettes will not be only help reduce the weed but also solve fuel issues in rural areas.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
SAIL resized
SAIL Bags 'Star Performer' Award from EEPC for Export Excellence During Pandemic Years - Check Here To Know More
NFL _ National Fertilizers Limited
National Fertilizers Ltd Faces Rs. 94.84 Crore Tax Demand Over GST Refunds
Screenshot 2025-05-31 204103
PM Modi Launches Major Thermal Power Projects in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh - Check All Details
IRCON
IRCON Bags Rs. 1,068 Crore Contract for Ganga Rail Bridge in Bihar - All Details Inside
retirement
3 Senior Executives to Retire from Key PSUs in India, P V Ravitej Concludes 38-year Long Journey With BPCL - All Details Inside
Rajiv Krishna IPS
Breaking: IPS Rajeev Krishna Appointed as Acting DGP of Uttar Pradesh, Becomes 5th Consecutive Officer in Acting Role - Know More About Him
Bihar Government-resized-IM
47 IAS Officers Reshuffled in Bihar Ahead of Polls, 17 Districts Get New DMs, 5 New Commissioners - Check Circular Here
PSUs
PSUs: IRS Anurag Prasad Repatriated Early for Promotion; IAS M Muthukumar Appointed Director (Finance) at BHAVINI
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
From Gwalior to the Top 20: What Drove Finance Pro Madhav Agarwal to Crack UPSC CSE 2024 with AIR 16? | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
WhatsApp Image 2025-05-28 at 18.56
Didn’t Clear UPSC But Found Something Greater: A Story That Will Change How You See Success
She left a top finance job for UPSC, did not clear but built a thriving wellness brand instead. Veda's...
Social Media
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
UPSC Latest IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Tomorrow: ICLS Officer Altap Shaikh Shares Last-Minute Motivation for Aspirants
His five-post thread offers encouragement, practical advice, and emotional support - not just for those...
Anupam Sharma IFS
#BoycottTurkey: IFS Officer Anupam Sharma Sparks Nationalist Call to Action
IFS Sharma urged citizens to avoid Turkish agricultural imports
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Dr Mahendra Khadgawat
IAS at 55: How a Cricketer Turned Civil Servant is Still Scoring Big for Rajasthan
SAIL resized
SAIL Bags 'Star Performer' Award from EEPC for Export Excellence During Pandemic Years - Check Here To Know More
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT