VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Forest, Energy and Environment Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said that the Trees Outside Forests (TOF) will strengthen the farmers economically, and the living standards of the people.Speaking in the program on Trees outside forests in India (TOFI) organised by USAID and MoEFCC, the minister said that we need to protect the environment as the pollution level is increasing alarmingly.
“The government is intended to increase forest cover from 23 per cent to 33 per cent across the state under the leadership of CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy,” said the minister.He appreciated the initiative of the Union Ministry and USAID, to implement the tree plantation programme in non-forest lands in Andhra Pradesh along with UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu.
“Through this programme, 2.8 million hectares of non-forest land trees are being grown, which is a positive sign. About 30 to 45 trees absorb one tonnes of carbon dioxide in a year while trees in the non-forest lands absorb 420 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. We planted 1.2 crore saplings under Jagananna Pachthoranam to increase the forest cover across AP and more than 65 lakh saplings in an area of about 17 thousand kilometres under Avenue Plantation,” added he.
“Mango plantation has been done on lakhs of acres in Chittoor districts alone. Steps have been taken to raise the economic standards of the people. Measures are being taken to strengthen the economic status of farmers through horticulture. The government is working to construct 16 Urban parks with a cost of Rs 15 crores,” said the forest minister.
Special Chief Secretary (EFS&T) Nirab Kumar Prasad, PCCF (HOFF) Forest department Y Madhusudan Reddy, USAID Mission Director Veena Reddy, (TOFI) chief Dr Chandrasekhar, USAID Deputy Director Varghese Paul and forest officials participated in this programme.