Soon, exclusive library on organic farming in city

Kolkata: For the first time in the city, a library exclusively on organic farming is going to come up soon.

The initiative has been taken up by Bidhan Sishu Udyan authorities to set up the library in a premise at Ultadanga where weekly market to sell organic vegetables in every weekend has become immensely popular among citizens in the past few months. In April, the state Agriculture department had also organised a three-day-long Jaibo Krishi Mela at the same place.

The detailed project report to bring up the library has been prepared and the work will start soon after Diwali. The arena where the library will come up has already been identified. There will also be an adjacent reading room.

Initially, the library will start functioning with around 2,000 books all based on organic farming and gradually the number of books will be increased to 4,000.

Gautam Talukdar, a member of Bishan Sishu Udyan, said: "There will be further discussions on certain issues like membership, etc. People from all walks of life can take membership in the library that will remain open from 11 am every day. The library will be helpful in creating awareness on organic farming among people of the city."

He further said that they will be approaching the state government for necessary support to set up the library and they are also having plans to set up centres to provide short term trainings on organic farming.

It may be recalled that the state Agriculture department had provided expertise to Bidhan Sishu Udyan to initiate organic farming on around 3 bighas of the vacant land at Ultadanga after the place was found suitable to promote organic farming within the city itself. In the weekly market, farmers from different parts of the adjacent districts mainly South 24 Parganas come to Bidhan Sishu Udyan to sell their organic produce.