It was on the initiative of DC Palamu Ameet Kumar that a 421 acre spread as Asia’s largest lah Bagaan (lac Orchard) at Kundri under lesliganj police station has made a come back. More than 20,000 palash trees have been pruned and their fallen flowers are being processed to make organic Gulal.
Secretary RS PlUSS ( Ridhhie Siddhie Prathmik lah Utpadak Sahyog Samiti) Kamlesh singh informed, “Imagine red and yellow flowers of palash trees falling on the ground. 60,000 trees are in this orchard. Till date these fallen flowers were a big waste. But now these make gulal.”
Kamlesh said that has become possible because of the effort and pains that the DC who held meetings for its revival and issued directives which proved extremely beneficial. Rs 2,34,000 worth of gulal processing plant has been brought in Kundri where fallen flowers of palash trees are being processed.
One Kg of fallen flowers will fetch a collector Rs 8. Gulal is packed in 50 gms weight and it costs little over Rs 9. Kamlesh said, come Holi festival and its sale will go up. RSPlUSS will market it even better, he said.
Kundri lac orchard has born the wrath of extremists till 2006. Maoists had destroyed its water unit here and blown up quarters meant for its ground staff. However with ease in naxal scenario here it is hoped Kundri lac orchard will regain its old glory says locals.