KHAMMAM: The Telangana government had permitted Daripalli Ramaiah to sell red sandalwood, but the environmentalist and Padma Shri awardee chose to donate 20 tonnes of the precious wood for the State’s Haritha Nidhi programme.
The tree lover has planted over one crore saplings and trees across the State, apart from distributing lakhs of saplings which he grows on his land. The State and Centre had also recognised his contribution towards environment protection and honoured him with the Padma Shri five years ago.
Ramaiah and his wife Janamma have been growing saplings on their land in erstwhile Khammam district for the last 40 years. Twenty years ago, he grew over 50 red sandalwood trees in his seven-acre land at his village, Reddypalli in Khammam Rural mandal. The State government had allowed him to sell the wood, but he chose to focus on the bigger picture.
Ramaiah recently met MP Santhosh Kumar at Pragathi Bhavan and informed him about his decision to donate the wood, drawing praises from all quarters. Speaking to Express, he said he would plant trees till his last breath and asked people to do the same.