VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Forest, Environment and Science & Technology Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday said the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has extended support to eight proposals submitted by the State government, including the ambitious Mission Godavari Clean Project aimed at tackling pollution in the Godavari River.
After meeting Union Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi, Pawan Kalyan said the Centre had agreed to depute experts from the Central Pollution Control Board to study pollution in the Godavari and recommend measures to restore the river ecosystem ahead of the forthcoming Pushkaram festival.
He thanked the Union Minister for approving the proposed Aranyaramam Common Facility Centre and sought support for strengthening tiger reserves, wildlife conservation and coastal afforestation initiatives. The proposed facility will house advanced centres for human-wildlife conflict management, Hanuman monitoring, forest fire command and control, Great Green Wall monitoring and State tiger monitoring.
He said permission had been sought to increase the number of base camps in the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve from 90 to 150, which would require an additional 300 guards. Local Chenchu youth would be engaged, and the Centre had agreed to support infrastructure and mobility requirements under its schemes.
Pawan Kalyan said the State had requested assistance for the reintroduction of the Indian Gaur, which had disappeared from Andhra Pradesh forests. Following discussions with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, arrangements were being made to bring 50 Indian Gaur to the State during September and October. Enclosures for their conservation have already been prepared.
To address the declining female tiger population, Maharashtra has agreed to provide four tigresses, while two more are expected from Madhya Pradesh. The State has also sought trained Kumki elephants from Odisha to mitigate human-elephant conflicts in Parvathipuram Manyam district.
Highlighting the Great Green Wall of Andhra Pradesh initiative, Pawan Kalyan said the State had launched plantation activities covering 450 km of its 1,050-km coastline to protect coastal regions from cyclones and erosion. The Centre has agreed to extend financial support through the MISHTI programme.
He said the State would also seek cooperation from the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to ensure a clean and sustainable Godavari river system for future generations.
VB-G RAM G Scheme in AP
Earlier, Pawan Kalyan discussed various rural development initiatives being implemented by the State government with Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
During the meeting, Chouhan lauded Andhra Pradesh’s innovative programmes, including the construction of Magic Drains and water troughs under the Rural Development Department. Impressed by the initiative, the Union Minister directed officials to explore the possibility of implementing the Magic Drains model in his constituency.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan also appreciated the transparent social audit mechanism being followed by Andhra Pradesh and congratulated Pawan Kalyan for ensuring accountability in the implementation of rural development programmes.
Pawan Kalyan invited the Union Minister to attend the national launch of the VBG Ramji Scheme scheduled for July 1 and requested that the event be held in Andhra Pradesh. Recalling that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was launched from Anantapur in 2006, he said the State would be honoured to host another national-level programme.
Responding positively, Shivraj Singh Chouhan agreed to hold the national launch event of the VBG Ramji Scheme in Andhra Pradesh and also consented to participate in the programme.
