Friend of the forest, keeper of trees – who is Kallur Balan, Kerala’s ‘green man’ who died at 75

Balan went astir his conservation work, 1 elevation astatine a time. Each morning, Balan would acceptable retired successful a jeep wearing a greenish t-shirt and lungi to cod fruits abandoned by traders. With these, helium would permission for the forests of Walayar, Ayyarmala and Vazhukkapara to assistance provender birds and animals.

The shaded trees on roads successful Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram basal grounds to his work. One of his biggest contributions was the effort to prolong Palmyra, which has go a awesome of Palakkad. He had planted thousands of palmyra saplings successful the district, and implicit the years, converted 100 acres into a man-made wood astatine Ayyarmala successful Palakkad.

Although determination were sceptics, Balan received enactment for his enactment from the authorities wood department’s societal forestry wing, which provided him saplings.

Born successful a toddy tapper’s family, Balan joined the accepted concern aft schoolhouse but yet near it aft being influenced by the views of societal reformer Narayana Guru. He past began to bash unusual jobs for a surviving until helium recovered his calling successful conservation.

He is survived by woman and 3 sons.