Over 2500 students were involved in making seed balls. The district administration, in association with Martin Charitable Trust, organised the event at National Academy School, here on Tuesday.

Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao inaugurated the event. It will continue for 72 hours and conclude on Thursday.

“Students were involved in the task to sensitize them towards environment and we were striving to create a greener environment. Seed balls will be distributed for sowing along tank bunds, public places and parks,” said the Collector. “Ramanathapuram is often known as a dry district but we want to change the face of it by mass distribution of seed balls. The district has about 3500 ooranis and 640 tanks under the control of Public Works Department,” he said.

The students will make seed balls from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a break of 10 minutes for every one hour and they will work in batches. From 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., workers will be involved in mixing soil, cow dung and natural manure with seeds; the children will continue the work the next day.

Seven kinds of seeds for growth of fruit bearing trees such as guava, custard apple, wood apple and other native species are used for making the balls. The plan is to create a world record by making 30 lakh seed balls in three days and enter Elite World Records and Asian Records Academy.

Additional Collector M. Pradeep Kumar, managing trustee of Martin Charitable Trust M. Leema Rose, Sub-Collector N.O. Sukhaputra, Chief Educational Officer A. Pugazhendhi, Deputy Director of Horticulture Nagarajan, correspondent of National Academy School Syed Abdullah and various other government officials participated in the inaugural programme.

Students from Ramanathapuram Municipality Higher Secondary School, Aringnar Anna Middle School, Vallal Paari Middle School, National Academy Schools and Caussanel College of Arts and Science were involved in the seed balls making activity.