Archive · 26 Jun 2025
Greenman of Odisha Transforms Hills into Green Zones
Imagine a 'Greenman' who loves trees.
This person, Sudhir Raut, helped plant trees on 20 bare hills in a place called Ganjam.
His team used special seed balls and planted lots of seeds.
They started this project in 2019, and now these hills are turning green!
This year, they're adding even more seeds.
They're also planting seeds along a river.
It's like giving the hills and the river a big, green hug.
Some animals and people use the trees, so the Greenman is planting tough trees that animals won't eat much.
Sudhir Raut, known as the 'Greenman of Odisha,' and his team have transformed 20 bald hills in Ganjam into green zones.
The project, initiated in 2019, involved reforesting hills including Balakumari and Taratarini.
They plan to sow an additional 6 lakh seeds and throw 2 lakh seed balls this year to further reforest the hills.
The Aryabhatta E & N Foundation is also working on sowing seeds along the Rushikulya river embankment.
Survival rates of the trees are impacted by fuelwood use and grazing animals, but the team is adapting by using more resistant species.
- Who
- Sudhir Raut ('Greenman of Odisha') and the Aryabhatta E & N Foundation.
- What
- Reforestation of 20 bald hills in Ganjam.
- When
- Started in 2019, ongoing with further planting planned this year.
- Where
- Ganjam, Odisha, India, specifically on hills including Balakumari and Taratarini.
- Why
- To convert degraded land into lush green zones.
- Project Lead
- Sudhir Raut ('Greenman of Odisha')
- Organization
- Aryabhatta E & N Foundation-Berhampur
- Location
- Ganjam, Odisha
- Hills Reforested
- 20
- Seed Ball Count (Planned)
- 2 lakh
- Additional Seeds (Planned)
- 6 lakh
- River Embankment Project
- Rushikulya River