On World Bamboo Day, here is proof that bamboo can do more than just grow. It can change lives, clean air and water, and restore soil damaged by toxic fly ash.
Meet Dr Lal Singh, Principal Scientist at CSIR-NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), who used bamboo and a method called Eco-Rejuvenation Technology (ERT) to revive polluted lands in Maharashtra.
In Vidarbha, Maharashtra, lands around power plants in Koradi, Khaparkheda, and Chandrapur were covered in fly ash — a fine powder from burning coal.
The soil turned grey and infertile, air grew heavy with dust, and water sources became unsafe. Crops failed, and livelihoods collapsed.
Dr Singh, as a project leader at CSIR-NEERI, began restoring the degraded land. His solution combined bamboo, native trees, microbes, and organic amendments.
Eco-Rejuvenation Technology heals damaged land by treating polluted soil with organic, microbial, and fungal additives and planting tolerant species like bamboo.
In 2013, Dr Singh was tasked with rejuvenating 10 hectares of fly-ash-laden wasteland in Ubagi and Khapari villages, 24 km from Nagpur. Within two years, the land began to recover, and by the fourth year, it was ready for crop cultivation again.
Bamboo helps attract silica dust from fly ash, protecting neighbouring crops from damage. When grown alongside native trees, it improves soil structure, reduces dust, cleans the air, and makes water safer for use.
For the villagers of Koradi Nahadula and nearby areas, cleaner air and safer water have transformed daily life.
The project also created jobs: 20 women were employed on three-year contracts to maintain bamboo plantations. One of them, Pranali Sahara, now earns Rs 5,000 a month — a vital income for her family.
Before planting, degraded areas are surveyed and screened. Tolerant plant species are chosen, microbial and fungal inoculants applied, and organic amendments added.
The bamboo varieties used are fast-growing, need little water, and hold their leaves longer — helping improve soil fertility and reduce erosion.
Next targets: a polluted site in Odisha (due to phosphorus ore), and Anpara in Uttar Pradesh, where fly ash threatens a water reservoir. The project aims to develop green belts around vulnerable sites to protect water and land.
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