Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao has termed the Haritha Haram as the third biggest mass afforestation programme in human history, only next to China’s Great Green Wall and Brazil’s reforestation of Amazon projects.
Planting and protection of greenery has become a habit in the State, which can be evidenced through the report of the Forest Survey of India vouching for the increased green cover in the State, Mr. Rama Rao said, after kick-starting the seventh phase of Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme for mass afforestation along with Minister for Environment and Forests A. Indrakaran Reddy here on Thursday.
After launching the programme by inauguration of an urban forest park developed by HMDA in the Pedda Amberpet area close to the Outer Ring Road, Mr. Rama Rao said 129 such parks are being developed in the urban areas of the State. Within the purview of HMDA, 59 urban forest parks are being developed in 1.6 lakh acres, he said.
Recognising the importance of protecting the trees, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has incorporated relevant provisions in the new Municipal Act and new Panchayat Raj Act. Ten % of the allotments to the local bodies have been earmarked as green budget, while penal provisions have been introduced against the local body representatives if at least 85 % saplings planted do not survive.
The Minister has sought people’s participation to realise the Chief Minister’s dream of achieving 33 % green cover in the State.
Mr. Indrakaran Reddy said Haritha Haram implementation has earned good recognition for the State across the country. In no other State are 15,500 nurseries being run for the programme, with crucial role played by HMDA and GHMC in their running. Till now, a total of ₹ 5,900 crore funds have been spent on Haritha Haram, he informed.
Special Chief Secretary A. Santi Kumari said 1.6 lakh acres of forest lands in the State are in proximity of the urban regions, and under the Chief Minister’s directions, urban forest parks have been conceptualised to develop them in line with public interests.
Legislators M. Kishan Reddy, MLCs P. Mahender Reddy, S. Raju, S. Vani Devi, Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar, PCCF R. Sobha, Rangareddy district Collector Amay Kumar and others participated in the programme by planting the saplings.