A Kerala cop who loves planting trees instead of wielding his baton
ALAPPUZHA(KERALA): V Vidyadharan began his green journey at a young age and soon it became an obsession.
An inspector with Kerala police, Vidyadharan has been planting trees along the roads and walkways in the state’s southern Alappuzha and neighbouring Ernakulam districts for more than 40 years now.
When he started, people questioned his indiscriminate planting of saplings on walkways and roadsides, but now he is a well-known face and much loved. Playback singer KJ Yesudas, while honouring the inspector, even said people like Vidyadharan give mankind enough hope that the next generation won’t have to live in deserts.
Vidyadharan loves trees so much that he always carries saplings and shovels in his vehicle and not baton or pistol that police are seen with. And when his daughter got married two years ago, he gave a different gift to all invitees — 20,000 saplings.
He feels that even a small creeper carries enough life and people can experience God in it. “When I see people resting under the shade of my trees and children plucking fruits from my saplings, I get immense happiness. That is the only return I expect,” he said. He spends at least ₹6,000 from his meagre salary for the cause and uses his free time to add the touch of green to his city ensuring that it never clashes with his duty hours.