HYDERABAD: In a major step towards ecological revival, the Telangana government will launch its flagship Vana Mahotsavam 2025 at Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU), Rajendranagar, on July 7. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will inaugurate the event by planting saplings, reaffirming the state’s commitment to restoring green cover using indigenous species.
The initiative kicks off a scientific restoration effort across 150 acres of PJTAU land long overrun by invasive weeds and exotic trees like eucalyptus and subabul. Once home to native species, the campus has been dominated by lantana, parthenium, prosopis juliflora (Sarkar Thumma), eucalyptus, and subabul, which disrupt local ecology and deplete groundwater.
A joint survey by HMDA Urban Forestry and PJTAU in January 2025 identified 3,521 subabul and 869 eucalyptus trees across four plantation blocks, later marked for removal with Forest department approval.
To ensure transparency, PJTAU held a public auction in May. As per a May 7 tender, 3,000 subabul and 521 eucalyptus trees were approved for felling. The highest bids: Rs 4,800/tonne for subabul (Madan Mohan, Sri Laxmi Wood Suppliers) and Rs 4,700/tonne for eucalyptus (Raghu Kumar, Sri Lorven Enterprises). ITC was awarded the extraction contract, and clearing began in mid-June.
A detailed replantation plan will introduce over 30 traditional Telangana species, including teak, red sandalwood, tamarind, jamun, regu, medicinal plants, and bamboo varieties. The botanical garden will also be revived as a living archive of native flora.
This year, the state has set a robust target of planting 18.02 crore saplings across Telangana. The largest contributions are expected from the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department (7 crore saplings) and the Municipal Administration and Urban Development department (8 crore saplings). Additionally, both the Forest and Agriculture departments have each pledged to plant one crore saplings.
The Union government has launched “Ek Peed Maa Ke Naam 2.0”, a nationwide campaign encouraging everyone to plant a sapling in their mother’s name. Running from June 5 to September 30, 2025, the initiative will be implemented mainly through schools. In Telangana, DEOs, DFOs, and DRDOs will coordinate district-level efforts, with special emphasis on Miyawaki plantations and other green projects in schools.
Tensions erupt at PJTAU over tree clearing
Tensions erupted on Saturday night as students objected to tree clearing using earthmovers. “Why are existing trees being removed just to plant new ones?” Raj Kumar, a PhD scholar, wondered. Speaking to TNIE, PJTAU Registrar Vidya Sagar called it a “minor issue being misinterpreted”.
After discussions with the vice chancellor, students ended their protest and expressed support for the initiative. “We are committed to creating space for local biodiversity,” said Profesor Aldas Janaiah, PJTAU Vice Chancellor. Responding to social media claims that “JCBs are destroying trees,” he clarified,
“This is a planned ecological revival, not a last-minute arrangement for the event.” “Nearly 150 acres of old eucalyptus and subabul trees are being cleared under a tender awarded a month ago to ITC Limited. The clearing is part of a planned ecological revival and not connected to last-minute event arrangements,” he emphasised.