Goa govt mulls seed bombing during monsoon afforestation drive

The Goa government is eyeing to use seed bombing technique during its mass afforestation drive in the monsoon season this year.

State Forest Minister Vijai Sardesai Friday said the department is even mulling deploying Navy's choppers for seed bombing in remote forest areas.

Seed bombing is a technique of introducing vegetation to land by throwing or dropping seed balls.

Sardesai, who met senior forest officials to review various projects, said after the meeting that the government would focus on afforestation drive during the monsoon season.

The minister said he would hold another round of meeting with forest officials to discuss proposals like seed bombing.

"We can use drones or take help of trekkers to sprinkle seeds in the forest areas. These seeds are thrown in forest areas where normally humans don't reach, so that they grow and add to the greenery," he said.

Sardesai said the forest department will strictly propagate local germplasm during the afforestation drive.

According to him, the forest department had in the past planted Australian acacia on a large scale.

"However, these trees don't go well with the wild animals here, who then travel to human habitations in search of food. We may think of completely removing these acacia trees from the forest and replacing them with local trees bearing fruits consumed by animals," he said.

The department is also working on creating jungles in urban pockets, which would work as their lungs, he said.