Bachupally Police Station could well be a green police station soon. Aimed to promote organic farming, the initiative, which was started a couple of months ago, has police personnel growing at least 10 different varieties of vegetables on the station’s roof top.
Balakrishna Reddy, Inspector of Police, Bachupally PS, is the man behind the operation. On how it all started, he explains, “I’m very interested in agriculture and I’ve always been on the lookout for organic vegetables. But it is difficult to get them near my place. Sensing my interest for only organic vegetables, a vendor advised me to start organic farming on the terrace.”
Hailing from an agricultural family, the police officer says, “I had dreamt of producing vegetables on my own, and since we have vacant space at the station, I thought it would be perfect. It also contributes to the environment.”
But how could a busy cop get time for terrace gardening? “It is actually not very time consuming. It’s just a one time job to plant the saplings, and we have to maintain and water them regularly. Some of my staff members also helped me, so it was easy,” he says. Talking about the process, he says, “We consulted an organic farming expert and bought a 10ft length silpaulin sheet which was cut up. We used the small sheets as the base on the floor. Later, we procured red mud and cow dung from Mallampet village and mixed it with natural fertilizers. Each staff member watered and monitored the saplings in shifts.”
Within 40 days, the seeds turned into saplings. “We have already got spinach, fenugreek and sorrel. Now, bottle gourds, tomatoes, beans, chillies, brinjal, onions, etc., will be ready in two weeks,” he informs.
Balakrishna seems to have quite a green thumb. “Even when I was working in Banjara Hills and Uppal PS, I would grow flowering plants there,” he says.
Balakrishna has plans to expand the initiative if things go as intended. “If the results are satisfactory, I shall extend this to the premises around the PS. More people should take up organic farming as the entire family can eat fresh vegetables grown in their own backyard and stay healthy. Also, plants protect you against the soaring heat from roof tops and it’s cost-effective too.
