VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that development achieved alongside nature is the only sustainable path forward, Deputy Chief Minister and Forest and Environment Minister Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday virtually inaugurated 18 newly developed urban forests (Nagara Vanalu), eco-parks, and community-based eco-tourism projects across the state. Speaking from his Mangalagiri camp office, Pawan Kalyan said that nation’s true heritage lies not just in its concrete structures, but in the nature it preserves.
“As cities expand exponentially, these urban forests will function as vital ‘green lungs’ to maintain ecological balance amid concrete jungles,” he stated. The projects were executed at a total cost of Rs 36 crore, combining funds from the Central Government’s ‘Nagara Vana Yojana’ with local state resources.
Each urban forest spans approximately 50 hectares and was developed with an investment of Rs 2 crore.
To showcase biodiversity and cultural heritage, specialised Nakshatra Vanalu (stellar star gardens) and Rashi Vanalu (zodiac gardens) have been curated based on traditional ecological knowledge.Dedicated Red Sanders conservation parks have been established at Kodur, and Kailasagiri.