Hyderabad, June 19 (Representative) Recognising the importance of sustainable development and need to protect the planet for future generations, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Raointroduced the Telangana ku Haritha Haram program.Environmental sustainable development is vital for maintaining climate balance and safeguarding the planet. A minimum of 33 per cent green cover is essential. However, with the growing population, the demand for resources increases, resulting in a decline in forest cover. This has led to inevitable climate change, rising temperatures, decreased rainfall, and gradual depletion of the ozone layer, an official statement said here on Monday. In 2015, the State Government launched the prestigious Telangana ku Haritha Haram program, aiming to increase the forest cover from 24 per cent to 33 per cent. This program has not only engaged the government but also encouraged active participation from the public and farmers.The objective is to plant 230 crore saplings as part of the Haritha Haram program, making it the third-largest human effort to promote greenery after China and Brazil. The implementation of this program has improved ecological balance, generated livelihood opportunities, and resulted in a significant increase in rainfall.To ensure environmental conservation, the Telangana government enacted a law mandating tree planting in every village.
The law stipulates the establishment of nurseries in each village, protection of plants, and the maintenance of green and clean surroundings. At the village level, Green Protection Committees, chaired by the village sarpanch, have been formed to oversee the program’s progress. The survival of planted saplings is monitored through geo-tagging. The government has undertaken various plantation initiatives such as Avenue Plantation, Block Plantation, Institutional Plantation, Homestead Plantation, and Agro Forestry Plantation to enhance greenery. In the recently amended Panchayati Raj Act 2018 and Municipal Act 2019, the government has allocated 10% of the budget as a green budget to preserve environmental balance and prioritizedthe increase of greenery.Over the past nine years, an impressive 273 crore saplings have been planted as part of environmental protection efforts. The forest area in Telangana has grown from 19,854 square kilometers in 2015-16 to 26,969 square kilometers in 2023, according to the Forest Survey ofIndia. As a result of the Haritha Haram program, Telangana state has witnessed a remarkable7.70 per cent increase in greenery. Addressing the previous shortage of parks in towns and cities, the Telangana government has established 19,472 Palle Prakruthi Vanams and 2,275 Bruhat Palle Prakruthi Vanams, along with nurseries in every village.
Extensive plantation along roadsides has also been carried out, andurban forests have been developed at 179 locations, amounting to a cost of Rs 700 crore rupees.In an innovative move, the Telangana government established Haritha Nidhi with the participation of people from various fields, including public representatives, employees, and students. The contributions collected from them form the Haritha Nidhi fund, with the Forest Department acting as the nodal agency. Across the state, Avenue Plantation initiatives have been implemented, covering approximately one lakh kilometers of roadways, and degraded forests spanning 13.44 lakh acres have been restored.As part of the tenth phase of the Haritha Haram program, the Telangana government has planned to celebrate Telangana Harithotsavam on June 19. A large-scale plantation program is scheduled to take place in all villages and towns, with a target of planting 19.29 crore saplings. This year, special emphasis has been placed on increasing greenery along canals and sites associated with irrigation projects, the statement added.