Vellore is surrounded by 256 hillocks on all sides. Many decades of deforestation have resulted in a long list of problems faced by the residents of Vellore. Natural water recharge in the area has been affected, and the water table has gone down to several hundred feet depth. Topsoil erosion has exposed the rocky surface of the hills, which constantly radiates heat making Vellore one of the hottest towns in India. On the one hand timber and granite lobbies are further degrading the environment, while on the other, poverty in the 96 villages at the foothills has forced the villagers to engage in destructive activities like cattle grazing on the hills, clearing vegetation (by setting the forest on fire) for illicit liquor brewing and manju grass, and firewood. Besides afforestation and rainwater harvesting activities, EGC works to provide alternatives namely renewable energy (biogas), eco-friendly income generation activities, eco-tourism, fodder cultivation in the villages and alternative building materials. EGC works closely with local village panchayats and the Forest Department of Vellore, which has selected the organization as an important member of the ‘National Afforestation Programme’ (NAP) in Vellore district.

EGC aims to restore the hills through the Indian Green Force (IGF), a special group of local village youth trained in hands-on restoration work. There are 17 full-time IGF members, who are working for the afforestation of three of the Vellore Hills: four in Kalamburan Fort Hills, four in Sujrao Fort Hills, three in Gajrao Fort Hills and six in Kailasagiri Hills. In the last two years, IGF members have

	Protected hills from cattle grazing
	Controlled forest fires
	Dug and desilted 13 ponds
	Constructed and strengthened check dams and bunds
	Carried compost from the villages at the foot-hills to the top of hills
	Developed and maintained nurseries of local species of plants
	Planted trees
	Promoted bio-gas units as alternative sources of energy for firewood

Impressed by the activities of IGF, the Thiruvannamalai District Collector has handed over a 200-year old bungalow with a separate kitchen facility (which belonged to the Arni Jaghirdar) to EGC. It will be soon developed into a training center for IGF and a base to carry out their greening activities on the hills.

Photos:

IGF Volunteers spend 11 hours on the hills everyday		Stone inscription found while diggup
Putting out forest fire		Natural regeneration of areas protected by volunteers
Perculation Pond desilting process by NTTF volunteers		Perculation Pond after desilting
Hill Fort Restoration		Village youth participation in hill restoration