Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) will support three major agriculture projects related to precision farming as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.
The projects include revival of a sprawling paddy field, installation of weather monitoring systems and setting up a climate-resilient paddy processing unit. The company has extended monetary support to the projects in line with the CSR policy which focuses on environmental sustainability along with health, education and sanitation, according to Sampath Kumar P. N., head, CSR, CSL.
Thottara Puncha revival
The CSL will support the project to revive Thottara Puncha, a 1,200-acre paddy field spread across Amballoor and Edakkattuvayal panchayats in Ernakulam district and Velloor panchayat in Kottayam. Mulanthuruthy block panchayat is the implementing agency.
The project with an outlay of ₹2 crore aims to revive the low-lying area by upgrading irrigation shutters, maintaining sluice bridges, and restoring water channels, all in collaboration with local Padasekhara Samithis.
The CSL has initially allocated ₹38 lakhs under CSR for infrastructure development.
“Waterlogging is the major issue faced by the paddy fields and much money had been spent on reviving it in the past. A study, involving a baseline survey and drone mapping, was conducted with the support of the M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Wayanad. Later, the CSL came up to support the project financially. The tender for carrying out the works will be floated next week,” Shaji Madhavan, president, Mulanthuruthy block panchayat, said.
Climate-resilient projects
CSL will help install localised weather monitoring systems in the Vellangallur block panchayat in Thrissur and Mannamkandam village in Idukki at a cost of ₹12 lakh. An agro-tech solutions unit for climate-resilient paddy processing would be set up in Mala, Thrissur, in collaboration with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, CSL official said.
