Page 19 - Strategic Plan 2016-25

The River Palar is the prime water source for Vellore City and the nearby
villages. The river covering about 4 km in Vellore corporation limit, was a
polluted mass of water due to dumping of solid and liquid wastes and growth of
Prosopis juliflora, a shrub known for depleting water table.

VIT initiated the Clean River Palar Project to bring the river back to resilience,
in collaboration with Civil Society Organizations.

VIT has embarked upon the task of making Vellore – a clean city, by making it
greener under the “Green Vellore” project. Over 1.5 lakhs of saplings were
planted since the inception of the project which was launched in August 2008 by
the eminent scientist Dr. M. S. Swaminathan. As a part of this initiative, for the
first time in the country, well grown Gulmohar trees, uprooted from VIT campus,
were planted in Vellore city.

(i) So far, over 630 students have benefitted through the STARS programme,
ever since its inception, of which 450 students represent the first generation

graduates. They have been groomed in such a way that they have attained a
competency level on par with urban students. All these benefitted students
have been successful in getting good jobs and they have been reciprocating to
the society in return. Several of them are successful in getting covetable
positions abroad.

(ii) “Green Vellore” project has resulted in substantial increase in the number
of trees throughout the district.

(iii) So far, VIT has conducted 65 training programmes in 22 different trades.
This has benefited 2,601 youth of which 263 have become entrepreneurs.

(iv) So far, VIT has distributed around Rs. 2.5 crore through NABARD to the

tribal farmers to support their livelihood of Agriculture in Jawadhu Hills
Village. Training was imparted and loan was distributed for goat rearing
activities, dairy cattle farming, Samai Crop Cultivation and tamarind paste
production. As a result of these activities, the standard of living of the villagers
showed remarkable improvement.

In the years to come, VIT is planning to scale up its societal outreach programmes
both quantitatively and qualitatively, by offering systematic guidelines to the
target groups, and also by affording financial support.