Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Mar 3: People have come to believe that for undertaking agriculture, vast land is needed and it is not possible to undertake farming in town areas. This belief has been proved to be unfounded by the owner of a commercial complex at Kaikamba here. He has raised a large number of flowers, vegetables and fruits on the terrace located at the fourth floor of his building.

Dr Govardhan Rao, who owns Sooryavamsha commercial complex at Kaikamba Junction is the one who has raised this agricultural farm on his terrace. He has raised so many varieties of plants on the terrace that it might be difficult for even a farmer having several acres of land to emulate him. Rao carries mud, fertiliser etc for carrying out agricultural operations on the terrace himself.

Dr Rao was working as professor at Saudi Arabia before retiring in 2019 and returning home. His house is located behind the said commercial comlplex. Initially he began to cultivate on the terrace of his houise and then extended it to the terrace of the commercial complex. His farm is spread over 4,000 square feet on the terrace.

Dr Govardhan Rao grows tomato, bottle gourds, long beans, amaranth, spinach, chilli, sweet potato, brinjal, onion etc. He also grows flowers like chrysanthemum and marigold. His terrace also has fruit plants like chikoo, guava, lemon, etc.

Rao uses soil, decomposed vegetables, jaggery, dung etc for making organic manure which is then fed to these plants. He also waters the plants every day. Initially, he used to physically carry water and fertiliser by going up 86 steps but now he has set up a rotor wheel for the purpose. He has also arranged for the green net to protect the plants from the hot sun.