For most people, the World Environment Day begins and ends with turning their Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp pages green, planting a sapling in the courtyard or a seed in a growbag on the terrace, posting the pics on social media and rejoicing in the likes and comments that come from friends and relatives.
Nobody might have heard of Dayarantakath Nithin, a 25-year-old construction worker in Kasaragod. Though the number of mangrove seedlings he had planted has crossed four digits, he has not got a single Facebook like. That's because he has not posted a single photograph on the social media!
The green sentinel
The mangroves are considered at the nursery of the nature. Since Nithin nurtures Kavvayi Kayal by carefully harvesting, sowing and planting seedlings of mangroves, he can surely be called the caretaker of the lake.
When mangrove forests are disappearing across the state, Nithin has planted nearly 1,300 mangrove saplings in Kavvayi Kayal in the past two years.
The Caretaker
Every day, after his work, Nithin heads to the mangrove forest. He collects good seeds and sows them in the lake close to its banks. Saplings are provided props so that they are not washed away in the flow of water. He braves sun and rain to take care of the saplings.
The mad one
Branthan, kannam pothi, ezhuthani, uppatti, chulli... the variety of mangroves that Nithin has nurtured is vast. But he loves branthan more since they aid in protection of the coastline, sustains fisheries and is a habitat for birds.
When the mangroves planted by Nithin grows and joins the existing forest in a few years' time, the lake will get a strong protective shield. Then likes and comments will flow from people's minds towards Nitin for planting green umbrellas for the benefit of the land.
Read more: World Environment Day