Not very often does one invite a luminary to inaugurate a project but, instead, in a sudden quirk of fate, ends up dedicating a memorial to the invitee.
Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) chairman N. Venugopal had to deal with such a weird situation on Monday as he announced a slew of projects lined up by the agency for inauguration this month.
The first in his list was a function to name the walkway at Marine Drive ‘Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Marg’ as a mark of respect to the late President on August 5.
Kalam had agreed to inaugurate ‘Operation Adukkala’, a joint initiative of the GCDA and the district administration aimed at setting up one kitchen garden in every home in the district to encourage organic farming, on August 21. “He had even given a slot at 4.30 p.m.,” Mr. Venugopal said.
‘Pesticide-free’ Onam
As part of observing ‘pesticide-free’ Onam, 20 free stalls for organic farmers will be opened on August 18 at Rajendra Maidan under ‘Operation Adukkala’.
The stalls will function till August 27.
Governor P. Sathasivam will name the walkway in a brief function at Marine Drive on Wednesday.
The governor will also water the nine-year-old tree, which was planted by Kalam after a controversy erupted over the axing of three trees at Marine Drive to make way for the landing of the President’s helicopter in 2006.
After the greens cried foul over the cutting of trees, Kalam asked the District Collector to plant 30 trees instead of the three. The President also made it a point to plant one of those saplings on his own and to water it.
“We have already taken steps to conserve the tree by placing a board narrating the history behind it,” Mr. Venugopal said.
We have already taken steps to conserve the tree planted by Kalam by placing a board narrating the history behind it.
