KCR was addressing a public meeting on the occasion of "Haritotsavam" as part of the decennial celebrations of Telangana Formation Day.
Published Jun 19, 2023 | 6:29 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 19, 2023 | 6:29 PM
KCR was addressing a public meeting here on the occasion of ' Haritotsavam' (green day) as part of the decennial celebrations of state formation day. (Supplied)
BRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao asserted on Monday, 19 June, that the ruling party would return to power after the Legislative Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year.
He also expressed confidence about the growth of the state under his party’s government.
Rao was addressing a public meeting on the occasion of “Haritotsavam” (green day), as part of the decennial celebrations of Telangana Formation Day, at Thummaloor Urban Forest Park in the Ranga Reddy district.
He said he had no doubt about the BRS returning to power in the state.
The chief minister, who planted a sapling as part of the “Haritotsavam” celebrations at Thummaloor, said greenery increased by about 7.7 percent in Telangana with the implementation of the state government’s green drive ‘Harita Haram’ (green ornament).
“In Telangana, we have already planted 276 crore saplings. That is why greenery is visible wherever we look. We are so advanced that there is a nursery in every village, a ‘palle prakruthi vanam‘ (village nature park) in every village with open gyms for children,” he said.
The increased greenery is a collective effort, he said.
KCR also said he asked the state Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari to freely distribute fruit-bearing saplings to the people this year as part of the green drive.
Alleging that the Palamuru lift irrigation project in the state got delayed because of the Congress leaders who obtained a stay (imposed on works) by approaching the Supreme Court, the chief minister said that the Ibrahimpatnam, Maheswaram, and Vikarabad Assembly constituencies would get water soon.
He further said those who ridiculed Telangana during the separate state agitation, saying it does not know how to do farming, were now in seventh place whereas Telangana is at the top in the country.
He also pointed out that Telangana was number one in the country in per capita power utilisation, per capita income, paddy production, power supply, and other indices.
తెలంగాణ రాష్ట్ర అవతరణ దశాబ్ది ఉత్సవాల సందర్భంగా రంగారెడ్డి జిల్లా, తుమ్మలూరు గ్రామంలో జరిగిన ‘హరితోత్సవం’ కార్యక్రమంలో పాల్గొని మహా గని మొక్కను నాటిన ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ కె. చంద్రశేఖర్ రావు. అనంతరం ఏర్పాటు చేసిన సమావేశంలో మాట్లాడారు.
ఈ కార్యక్రమంలో మంత్రులు, ఎంపీలు, ఎమ్మెల్సీలు,… pic.twitter.com/kAvTDt3mF3
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) June 19, 2023
Recognising the importance of the Haritha Haram programme, KCR said that it ensured sustainable development and was protecting the planet for future generations.
The programme aimed to achieve a minimum of 33 percent green cover, as the demand for resources increases with a growing population, resulting in a decline in forest cover.
The consequences include climate change, rising temperatures, reduced rainfall, and the gradual depletion of the ozone layer, according to an official statement from the Telangana government.
Launched in 2015, the prestigious Telangana ku Haritha Haram programme aims to increase forest cover from 24 percent to 33 percent.
According to the government, the programme not only involves the government but also encourages active participation from the public and farmers.
The objective is to plant 2.3 billion saplings, making it the third-largest human effort to promote greenery, following China and Brazil.
The programme’s implementation has improved ecological balance, created livelihood opportunities, and significantly increased rainfall.
To ensure environmental conservation, the Telangana government has enacted a law mandating tree planting in every village, the statement said.
This law includes provisions for establishing nurseries in each village, protecting plants, and maintaining green and clean surroundings. Green Protection Committees, led by the village sarpanch, have been formed at the village level to monitor the program’s progress.
The survival of planted saplings is monitored through geo-tagging, and various plantation initiatives such as Avenue Plantation, Block Plantation, Institutional Plantation, Homestead Plantation, and Agro Forestry Plantation which were undertaken to enhance greenery, said the government in the statement.
In the recently amended Panchayati Raj Act 2018 and Municipal Act 2019, the government has allocated 10 percent of the budget as a green budget to preserve environmental balance and to prioritise the growth of greenery.
As part of environmental protection efforts, an impressive 2.73 billion saplings have been planted in the past nine years.
The forest area in Telangana has grown from 19,854 sq km in 2015-16 to 26,969 sq km in 2023, as reported by the Forest Survey of India.
After the Haritha Haram program, Telangana state has witnessed a remarkable 7.70 percent increase in greenery, said the government.
To address the previous shortage of parks in towns and cities, the Telangana government established 19,472 Palle Prakruthi Vanams and 2,275 Bruhat Palle Prakruthi Vanams, along with nurseries in every village, it added.
Extensive plantation along roadsides has been carried out, and urban forests have been developed at 179 locations, with a total cost of ₹700 crore.
The Telangana government also established Haritha Nidhi, a fund created through contributions from people representing various fields, including public representatives, employees, and students, with the Forest Department acting as the nodal agency.
Across the state, Avenue Plantation initiatives have covered approximately one lakh kilometres of roadways, and degraded forests spanning 13.44 lakh acres have been restored, the statement said.
(With PTI Inputs)
