TEQ Sri Lanka creates a greeny environment for Teqball – “May-Mannar”

“May-Mannar” TEQ Tree Planting Project started on May 6, 2021 [Thursday] in Mannar district ground to create a greeny environment for the teqlankans and other players.

Mannar district teqlankans including players, coaches and referees showed their enthusiasm in planting trees in their district in various places in May. Therefore, the ‘May-Mannar’ tree planting project is organised by the Teq Mannar and Teq Manthai West clubs under the auspices of TEQ Sri Lanka.

Mannar is one of the tropical places in Sri Lanka and its average temperate for any month is not less than 28 degrees Celsius. Also, tropical thorn forests can be seen in Manthai West where one of our teqball clubs is running. Therefore, TEQ Sri Lanka encouraged the teqlankans to launch this project to provide a greeny environment to our teqlankans as well as to other sports players.

As an initiative of the ‘May-Mannar’ project, the TEQ coordinator for Mannar district - T. Sivananthan, President of TEQ Mannar Association - S. Rex Arulnesan, District Sports Officer and TEQ Mannar Association Secretary - M.J.S. Princely Lambert, Sports Officer and TEQ Coach and Referee - J. Jeramy, Vice President of TEQ Mannar Association - P. Nilalan, and on behalf of school coaches and Referees E. Jebakara and A. Norris Angelo planted many Pongame Oil Trees (புங்கை) around the Mannar district playground.

Pongame Oil Trees are native to tropical Asia. However, it is found not only in India but also in China, Japan, Malaysia, Australia and the Pacific Islands. It grows to about 15–25 m in height with a large canopy that spreads equally wide. Moreover, the tree is well suited to intense heat and sunlight, and its dense network of lateral roots and its thick, long taproot makes it drought tolerant. Interestingly, the oil of the tree can be used for many traditional usages. Also, the flowers are used by gardeners as compost for plants requiring rich nutrients. Therefore, this type of tree was chosen by the organisers considering multiple benefits of the tree.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TEQ Sri Lanka could not bring our athletes in one place and we had to make it happened with a minimum number of participants, however, this project shall run until the end of the month in Mannar.

“As a coordinator of TEQ Mannar, I have successfully initiated this remarkable project during this hard time in a safe environment. Actually, the reason I was motivated to do this through sports associations was to create a greeny environment for our players. Today, I have initiated it with great pleasure. I believe that all sports actors shall make the sport environment more valuable”, Mannar coordinator Sivananthan said.

District Sports Officer and Secretary of TEQ Mannar Association - M.J.S. Princely Lambert said, “Teqball is a great example today to other sports through this social responsibility activity. I am sure the near future generation shall definitely get benefited through our today’s great job and I am sure I shall maintain it until it grows well.”

Let’s make our environment green, play TEQ with super oxygen, and proud to be Teqlankan!

Author: Gobinath Sivarajah