Appreciating China for its persistent efforts to grow greenery by planting saplings, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today exhorted the legislators to take up the green drive in the name of Smrithi Vanams (Memorial gardens) in their respective assembly constituencies in the state.
Making a lengthy statement in the State Assembly in connection with a short discussion on the Government’s flagship programme of ‘Telangana ku Haritha Haaram’, the Chief Minister flayed the previous governments for least bothering about expanding greenery and conducting a massive deforestation drive forcing the monkeys to stray into concrete jungles of cities, towns and villages. When their habitat is being destroyed why the monkeys will remain in the woods, KCR asked. He said that the Centre is giving funds for expansion of green drive and the MLAs can make use of the same to see that every village in their constituency is turned green. KCR also attributed the situation to the inefficiency and failure of the previous Governments.
He opined that massive deforestation will cause problems for mankind to live on the earth. Keeping this in view they need to encourage greenery to avoid the problems on a large scale. The chief minister asked the members to encourage green drive for attracting more rains and tiding over pollution problem. Cinema people who used to conduct film shootings at Narsapur forests earlier are now not doing so due to shortage of green cover, he observed. ‘We aim to expand the greenery in the state to 33 per cent from 23 per cent, through planting as many as 230 crore saplings over the years. Just planting a sapling will not serve the purpose and there is a need for protecting it until it grows to be a tree’ he averred. Stating that no one will have any right to cut woods, he said that deforestation will lead to shortfall of rains and will lead to pollution problems.
KCR said that they are planning to plant another 40 crore seedlings next year. The programme of planting on an average 40,000 seedling in every village and 40 lakh seedlings in every constituency is being implemented on a massive scale.
“let me assure this august House that the great endeavour for increasing the green cover on Telangana soil will continue uninterruptedly and voluntarily. Let me convey to the people that despite political differences, all sections should come forward and unveil the Green Telangana”, he added. (NSS).