Students of nine schools in Alappuzha municipality have joined the Ponnonathottam (Onam garden) initiative of the civic body to produce vegetables and flowers for Onam.
The municipality launched the initiative earlier this month to ensure the supply of safe-to-eat vegetables and flowers to people at reasonable rates during the festival period. It aims to grow a wide variety of vegetables and marigolds on vacant lots and schools.
The schools that joined the farming project are Government Muhammadans Higher Secondary School for Girls, SDV Boys High School, Government SDV JBS, Government Muhammadans Boys Higher Secondary School, CMS Lower Primary School, Holy Family Lower Primary School, TKMM Upper Primary School, Compound CMS Lower Primary School and Sree Shanmuga Vilasam Lower Primary School. Officials say that work on marigold gardens in the schools has begun. Students would create and manage Ponnonathottams. More schools are likely to join the initiative.
