Planting a fair deal for disabled

Eco-friendly

APD is an organisation which works for transforming and empowering the lives of children, youth, men and women with disabilities.

Inaugurating the fair by planting a Cassia sapling, Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva said APD’s efforts towards nurturing the environment through training in gardening and landscaping was commendable.

“Now, development is perceived as rapid industrial growth, for which thousands of acres of fertile land is acquired. Development is being carried out at the cost of self-sufficiency in food. The recent trend is a matter of great concern,” she said.

The plants fair, which is open to the public from July 22 to 29, is a testimony to the hard work of the differently-abled under the APD’s horticulture programme.

Under the programme, which was started 26 years ago, people with physical and mental disabilities are trained to be self-reliant.

The 10-month free residential training in gardening is conducted at its premises in Jeevan Bima Nagar and Kyalasanahalli in Doddagubbi.

People trained in the horticulture were recruited either by corporates or residential societies, said the staff at APD.

“In fact, we are unable to meet the demand for trained people,” they added. In addition to flowering plants, medicinal herbs such as basil, rosemary and rare plants were on display.

Bonsai fruit trees such as orange, sapota (chiku) and jackfruit  will be a delight to the visitors.

Gardening tools, implements and artefacts from Sunshine’s Garden Boutique will be for sale at the fair.

Proceeds from the fair will be used for funding training, purchase of mobility aid and for meeting the food costs for the trainees.