Haritha Haram: Only 40 pc saplings survived

The Telangana governments’ ambitious Telanganaku Harita Haram has been a big show off by the political leaders and the officials what with none showing interest in protecting the planted saplings. 

The officials and elected representatives showed more interest in planting saplings and not in ensuring their growth.

It is found that not even 40 percent saplings have survived under Haritha Haram. Officials say that the incessant rains hit the Haritha Haram in the district.

There was a shortage of saplings to supply for planting and majority of the saplings have not grown to the minimum level needed to plant them. The district administration has struggled to plant nearly 1.36 crore sapling before the August 15 in the district.

Only 2.86 crore saplings, of a target of 4.22 crore, have been planted so far in the district and the remaining 1.36 crore saplings would be planted before the August15. 

Participating in the video conference with the Chief secretary Rajiv Sharma, collector M. Jagan Mohan said they have fixed tree guards to only 2.8 crore saplings out 2.86 crore saplings planted and they have sent proposals to the state government for sanctioning Rs 15.36 crore for tree guard to the remaining saplings.  

The collector said the incessant rains affected planting saplings under Haritha Haram and added that they were making serious efforts to achieve the target.

The district administration is trying to supply 1 crore stumps of various including teak trees due to unavailability of saplings in the plantations and also 7 lakh saplings of fruits to the people to plant them in their areas.

District administration is also trying to replace the dried up saplings with the fresh ones across the district. Efforts are on to purchase tree guard costing Rs 85 from Nagapur.

Committees have been formed with the officials concerned at mandal level to assess the survival rate of the saplings planted under Haritha Haram so that they assess the real picture of the success of the scheme.

Schoolchildren emerge frontrunners in Haram

 

Two students of a govt school take saplings to their home  

School children have emerged as front runners in planting trees under ‘Haritha Haram’ with awareness generated among them about the necessity of planting trees and pollution control by the eco-clubs in schools under National Green Corps (NGC) and annual science exhibitions in the Adilabad district of Telangana. The students not only planting trees but are also pledging to protect them.

They are even educating their parents about the importance of the good forest cover in bringing about good rains and fresh air and to control pollution, and also against the illegal felling of trees.

Students from both government and private schools are seen taking the saplings from their schools and planting them in their houses.

Science exhibitions organized annually for students by the education department have also played their role in creating awareness.

Officials involved the school students in large numbers in the Haritha Haram programme in the villages and even in the towns. The programme was launched with much fanfare by the state government and Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao, who personally planting trees across the state.

More than 700 trees of different verities are being distributed to each school in the villages and towns under Haritha Haram. After planting 100-150 plants, students are taking the rest to their homes.

Government teacher A. Venkat said teachers have started promoting projects on subjects related to greenery, pollution and forest in the science exhibition.

He observed that programmes under NGC and the Haritha Haram have generated awareness among the school children about the importance of green cover and pollution as a result of which they are planning more trees.

A student Rajeshwar studying VIII class in a local government school said he collected a tree from his school and planted the same in the front yard of his home in Ramnagar colony in the Adilabad town.

Forest wing staff to ride on 'tigers'

Hundreds of roaring ‘Motorbike tigers’ are entering into the forests to chase the wood smugglers away from the forests.

The state government is giving 1,993 motor bikes with tiger symbol on its front to the field level staff that is Deputy FRO, FSO and Beat officers to keep the vigil on the illegal felling of trees and to control wood smuggling in the state. Telangana government is taking steps to strengthen the forest department.   

The motor bikes also have forest department emblem which reads ‘Telangana State Forest’ and ‘Save Forests and Save Nation’ on the engine side.

Scorpio and Innova to the DFOs and Mahindra Thar vehicles to FRO in the forest department will be provided too. Women staffer will be provided with Scootys.

However, no thought has been given by the government on supplying weapons to the forest staff in view of the increased Maoists movements in north Telangana.      

Efforts are being made, however, to extend all possible help to the families of forest staff attacked and killed by the wood smugglers and cases have been registered under PD Act against the wood smugglers.    

Minister for forest and environment Jogu Ramanna said that state government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore to purchase bikes, vehicles. He added that the state government will pay Rs 1,500 towards maintenance of each bike.

He said the move at improving vigilance in the forest areas and national highways and state roads to thwart wood smuggling and illegal felling of trees.

He elaborated that the state government has adopted a adopted multi- pronged strategy including mass plantation of saplings under Haritha Haram and steps to protect the existing forest by controlling the wood smuggling to enhance the forest area in the state.

To bolster confidence and efficiency of forest officials and field level staff involved in controlling wood smuggling, the state is equipping then with vehicles and advanced communication gadgets.

After police department, state government is now taking steps to strengthen the forest department by providing the vehicles to staff of all cadres and advance communication gadgets to control the wood smuggling and indiscriminate felling of trees in order to improve the forest cover.

The move was initiated after finding difficulty faced by field level staff and officials from the wood smugglers.    

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