'Coastal people ignorant of coconut tree benefits'

Coconut tree is called as the ‘Kalpavriksha,’ as each part of the tree is useful and one can obtain many products from the tree.

However, people from the coastal region who are naturally gifted with the abundance of coconut trees are ignorant of the benefits, one can obtain from the tree.

Usually, the raw materials are an excellent source of fuel. The coir products are environment-friendly. Thanks to the efforts of the district administration, promotion and manufacturing of the coir products is slowly surfacing and is being marketed with an aim to offer employment opportunities for the people in the district, especially in the Maoist affected areas.

State Coir Development Board Regional Coordinator H K Rajashekhar says the Coir Development Board has initiated the coir product manufacturing training programme for as many as 70 aspirants in Maoist affected areas of Muddur in Jadkal. He said that the programme would be extended to as many as four areas of the district. The women are also involved in the process . The coir training unit was also started in Edu in Karkala and Mala.

As many as 24 people belonging to ST and Malekudiya communities are trained and secured with permanent employment. In Mala, nearly 24 people are engaged in coir products manufacturing work. These people earn Rs 100 to 150 wages per day. The elaborate supportive mechanism has aided the tribal and people belonging to other communities to get expertise in the coir products manufacturing. The raw materials are easily available and also the marketing  facilities is also made available to these products.

Rajashekhar told that plans have been chalked out to set up permanent manufacturing unit in Muddur in around one acre of area. The programme is taken up under Tribal Development Programme.

Besides, plans are also designed to promote solar energy resources, so that the equipment used in the unit will be run by solar power, he added.

In Sasthan near Kundapur, a manufacturing unit and also marketing unit for the coir products that are manufactured in the district, is established. The products manufactured and sold in the Sasthan coir unit has market in other countries. Around six crore financial transaction has taken place in the unit. The coir beds are provided to government hospitals and government hostels in the state. The products have also received good market in Maharastra, Mangalore, Hubli, Karwar, Sagar among other places.

Rajashekar said proposals are designed to set up mobile units  in each taluk so that the raw materials can be collected from various points and products can be manufactured, he added.