District Collector Prashant Jeevan Patil has instructed officials to take strict action against persons found stealing tree guards, an emerging trend in Nalgonda as the sixth phase of Haritha Haram is gaining momentum.

The District Collector who went on field visits to inspect plantation progress and maintenance on Thursday was greeted by unguarded saplings in several mandals. And the common reply given by several sarpanches and mandal praja parishad members was: “Scrap collectors are stealing the tree guards.”

Mr. Patil was on a whirlwind inspection visit to Kanagal, Gurrampode, Kondamalepalli and Chintapalli mandals along with officials when he found that the newly erected tree guards were missing.

He instructed police officials to book cases against persons stealing public property. And he told officials to hold awareness meetings with scrap collectors and dealers in respective mandals and gram panchayats and tell them that criminal cases would be booked against those responsible.

Nalgonda as part of the current Haritha Haram has a target to plant 85 lakh saplings. And within the programme, setting up Palle Pragathi vanalu or village parks, avenue plantation, tall trees at Vaikunta Dhamam and dumping yards, are compulsory tasks.

One acre open land in every village would be converted into Palle Pragathi Vanam, which would have at least 3000 plants, a walking track and fence.

Mr. Patil said the deadline for avenue plantation drive, to plant saplings along village approach roads and its main roads, was July 5, and completion of village crematoriums and dumping yards was July 31.

Suspended for negligence

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Patil placed a panchayat secretary of Junuthala gram panchayat of Gurrampode mandal M. Venkat Reddy under suspension, for dereliction of duty in the ongoing plantation drive.

Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against the official. “He showed negligence and also failed to fill the pits dug for Haritha Haram saplings,” the order read.