HYDERABAD: In view of the ongoing Swathanthra Bharatha Vajrosthavalu, a mega plantation drive will be taken up by the Urban Forestry wing of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) on Sunday. As many as 45.28 lakh plantations will be taken up in all the urban parks and urban forest blocks. About 10.49 lakh plantations will be taken up in 16 urban forest blocks, 32 urban forest parks (4.67 lakh), six multi-layer avenue plantations (13 lakh), 16 block plantations (14.33 lakh), three lake developments (52,000), free distribution of seedlings to public (1.52 lakh), free distribution of seedling at the Tank Bund during the Sunday-Funday programme (30,000).
Hyderabad Growth Corridor Limited (HGCL) Managing Director BM Santhosh will participate in a plantation programme at the PV Narasimha Rao Marg, (earlier known as Necklace Road) near Sanjeevaiah park at 10 am on Sunday.
Similarly, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will organise a large-scale vana mahotsava programme in the civic body limits on Sunday as well. Plantations will be taken up on a large scale in 4,846 colonies across the GHMC area. On this occasion, the GHMC has asked people and public representatives to participate in Vana Mahotsava on Sunday and make it a success.
Steps have also been taken to grow plants with 195 lakh seedlings in 600 nurseries. The target is to plant one crore saplings in the next year. The target of planting 50 lakh saplings this year through the Haritha Haram programme, while 22 lakh saplings have been planted till now.
About 3.24 lakh multi-level avenue plantation along a length of 160 km in 115 locations has been completed. From 2016-17 to 2021-22, of the 691 lakh saplings target, about 620.88 lakh saplings were planted. As many as 20 panchatatva parks, urban forest parks, 58 theme parks, vertical gardens at flyovers, establishment of various urban forest parks has been carried out.