FRO Srinivasa Rao distributed mango plants: Villagers

KHAMMAM: The slain forest range officer (FRO) Chalamala Srinivasa Rao, 42, joined the forest department because of his deep love for the environment since his childhood. He was the last of seven children in the family and his father died some years ago. 

He completed MSc (Forestry) and joined the forest department in 2004 as a forest beat officer and worked in many places before being promoted as forest range officer. He married Bhaghyalaxmi of Julurpad in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district in 2006. She is a graduate in BSc and B Ed. Their son, Yaswant is in Class IX and daughter Kruthika is studying Class VI at Kothagudem.

Recalling his brother joining the forest department out of love for the nature, Krishnaiah said that Srinivasa Rao had distributed 1,000 mango plants in their native village of Eerlapadu. The FRO wanted every household in the village to have at least one mango tree.

Krishnaiah said that Srinivasa Rao had done research on plants and was awarded a gold medal by the State government in 2019. Krishnaiah is worried about the future of the young children of his brother who was the sole breadwinner of the family.