Palsunda - is a small (100 families) village about 10 KM south of Mokhada. Mokhada itself is a Taluka (or county) place within Palghar district. I have been visiting Palsunda for last 8 years. This is a part of our work in Rural Initiatives Group within IIT Bombay Alumni Association.
My batchmate Mr Deepak Gupte (B. Tech Aero 1973) is our leader. My (real) contribution in the group is rather limited – to cheer him on and doing a few estimates and assessments for our various projects run there. As a part of these activities, we have completed few water supply schemes in Palsunda and surrounding villages.
We had seen first-hand, the kind of difficulties people - and especially ladies there - face in fetching water. In hilly areas, many villages do not have water nearby. Village ladies would fetch water in Handas or pots positioned on their heads. They carry generally two or three pots balanced on their head and hold one more in their hand. Each trip is for carrying about 20 - 25 litres of water. In some of the worst cases, I have seen these ladies and young girls make 4 - 6 trips each day. Not just that they will descend a hill about 150 feet level, walk another half KM before they reach source of water and then climb back up - with about 25 KG load. We are happy that our efforts have helped to alleviate some of these hardships.
In another activity, we distributed solar lamps. They are necessary because of finicky power supply. They help students in their studies as well as light up homes in general. We also conducted essay competitions for local kids aged 8 to 14, to understand and encourage them to express themselves effectively. We distributed some books as prizes to all participants.
But I want to tell you about the major and long-term activity we are pursuing in Palsunda. Historically, this was supposed to be a forest. Decades of tree-cutting and neglect resulted in a barren hill tops, with black rocks exposed by soil erosion.
We decided to re-create soil and jungle on this land.
In a conscious decision, we have avoided planting any fruit or other commercially significant trees on the forest plot. However, during recent visits, I have noticed that several Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) trees growing all over; these and Teak are natural in the locality.
We have also managed to secure permission on a private plot (of Mr Madhukar Patil), in 2018, and plant some commercially interesting trees there including Cashews, Mangoes, Moringa (Shevaga).
We started with villagers agreeing, after an year spent in persuading them, to preserve all grass and other shrubs growing on a barren hillock. When I had seen the hillock first time in 2013 or so, it was showing black granite rocks all over. There were few patches of grass, shrubs, and other foliage. The villagers decided that no cattle or other grazing animals would approach the place. The grass and shrubs would grow unfettered. At the end of rainy season, these would wither but be kept right on rocky surface. During the subsequent years they would decay and start forming a soil like layer. Over the years, grass and soil grew inch by inch.
As a result, now one can feel a bouncy elastic layer of topsoil developing on basic rock surface. This enrichment allowed more grass and shrubs to grow. Overall soil was getting richer, and we could expect better results each season.
Last 4 years, we have been planting trees… mostly sowing seeds, and small plants sometimes. These trees are forest trees, no commercial trees, fruit trees etc. Look, we want to re-create a forest, we decided to help start the process and are convinced that the nature will take care of itself!
Over all these years, the villagers working with us have managed to plant, nurture, and sustain at least 6000 trees. For most part we have grown them on a forest land plot - by working with local forest authorities.
In a conscious decision, we have avoided planting any fruit or other commercially significant trees. However, during recent visits, I have noticed that several Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) trees growing all over.
Today the trees are growing better. Not just because of better soil. We also had to organize a separate set of pipes, storage and pumping mechanism to supply them with water round the year. Direct pipe irrigation as well as indirect drip through 1 litre bottles buried near each tree were in place.
My (late) father Dr Tilak’s colleagues Dr KV Hippalgaonkar, Dr Lattoo and Dr Nagesh Tekale had helped us through personal visits, guidance about selecting different tree species and other technical details.
Cut over to today - or rather about 3 weeks back - on 27th June 2021, I had visited these sites along with Deepak Gupte and another team member Alok Kelkar (M. Tech Electrical ’88). I found several pleasant events there -
- Most trees in forest plot have grown to a height of 10 feet and more. Even from about one KM we can see distinct patches of trees. We are now reasonably sure that these will survive on their own.
- Soil build-up is now substantial. The bounce is very pronounced. We can see number of birds flitting about on these trees and gathering worms and other food. A very encouraging sign is to notice that there are quite a few snakes around (do not be scared - our guides know how to avoid them). This indicates that snakes can find their food - small animals; over there. Presence of higher-level fauna is very encouraging - mainly because it looks like a decent food chain is in place. Environment is rebuilding fast.
- We have also arranged with a local land owner, to experiment on his private plot to plant some commercially viable trees there. On this plot we are conducting an experiment of planting 81 trees and plants. This is limited to a small 36 feet X 36 feet plot. This is based on principles of Natural Farming promoted by Mr Subhash Palekar of SPNF. At the centre is a mango (Mangifera indica) tree. It is surrounded by green vegetable plants (leafy, gourds and legumes) in addition to trees including Glyricidia (Gliricidia sepium), Castor seeds (Ricinus communis) , Moringa (Moringa oleifera), Curry Leaves (Murraya koenigii) as well as 4 trees of Cashews (Anacardium occidentale). Idea is that Mangos and Cashew will provide real income. All surrounding trees and vegetables will provide revenue for carrying out all nurturing activities apart from improving nutrition intake of people working there. Several flowering plants have also been planted to provide biological protection to food plants. This combination of plants will make it a model for generating better income for people as well as provide better nutrition in this area. This seems to be taking a proper shape now.
- Near to this 36 X 36 plot I found that a Peepul tree (Ficus religiosa) I had taken there has grown to a height of about 20 feet. This sapling had grown near my home in Andheri. I had taken it to Palsunda about 2 or 3 years back and our local leader Mr Jagannath Patil had planted it here. Seeing this tree was absolutely exhilarating.
- Almost along with this peepul tree, I had also taken some 7 – 8 saplings of Chikoo (Manilkara zapota). We had selected seeds of choice Chikoo fruit and planted them at home. These saplings were planted in farm belonging to Jagannath. I found that at least 5 of these saplings have grown well. Out of these, two have started yielding good quality fruit too.
- One of our objectives in planting these trees is to prevent soil erosion. Right next to hillock where all these trees have come up, are two small reservoirs of water. One collects water from hillock where we have grown trees. Whereas the other collects water from another hillock. Water in the reservoir next to ‘our’ hillock is clear. But water in the ‘other’ reservoir is quite muddy. It was a direct proof that our efforts are bearing fruit.
- Two very pleasant human experiences are also worth noting. The first experience is of a local kid – who rigged up a 4-wheeler (ball bearing wheels) contraption of a toy. It is just two shafts holding these wheels and a jerry-rigged mechanism to push it around on black top road. Just shows how kids will be inventive and come up with their own toys.
- The second one is closer. Jagannath’s daughter Chi Shruti is a 10-year-old kid. She was picking up some local shrubs. What she did with them was amazing. She managed to break up stems of these shrubs to come up with literally ornaments of a kind. She had prepared a BINDI, a necklace and a bracelet fashioned out of these shrubs. You will find her pictures wearing them.
I feel more and more people should experience these green hills, fields and local creativity.
I normally visit Palsunda by travelling from Andheri through Kasara, Khodala and Devbandh. Alternate path is to go through Manor, Vikramgadh, Javhar and Mokhada. From Andheri both routes mean about 150 KM drive.
Do let me know if you need any help in going there.
and your awesome team 
on the private plot, as a mango lover I would like to know which mango variety (species) is it?