HYDERABAD: There is no other programme as noble as planting of trees to increase greenery in the State, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister KT Rama Rao said on Thursday. He appealed to citizens to actively participate in the Haritha Haram programme and urged them not to consider it as a government programme. “Haritha Haram will ensure a safe environment for our future generations. The target is to increase the green cover to 33 per cent from 28 per cent,” he added.
As a part of the Pattana Pragathi programme, Rama Rao inaugurated the Urban Forest Park that was developed by the HMDA at Pedda Amberpet Kalan in Hayathnagar, along with Minister for Forest A Indrakaran Reddy, Minister for School Education Sabitha Indra Reddy, and others.
Rama Rao pointed out that the Forest Survey of India, in its report, said that green cover in Telangana had increased from 23.40 per cent to 28 per cent during the last few years, which he said was possible only because of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s vision.
About 220 crore saplings have been planted under Haritha Haram at a total cost of `5,900 crore. This year, the target is to plant 20 crore saplings and distribute six saplings to each household, he said. He said 59 urban forest parks were being developed for greenery in urban areas - HMDA (16), GHMC (3), TSIIC (7), HMRL (2), TSFDC (4) and Forest Department (27).