No plans for Haritha Haram in Sec’bad Cantt

Secunderabad: Even as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is going on an over drive and planning for Haritha Haram, there is no trace of activity on this front at the Secunderabad Cantonment Board. The GHMC is planning to plant 40 lakh saplings under Telangana Haritha Haram whereas the SCB has plans of planting only 2,000 saplings. 

Over the years, the tree plantation drive has taken a nose dive. Sample this: In the year 2016, the number of saplings planted was 20,000 to 30,000 which came down to 4,000 to 5,000 last year and now the cantonment plans to plant only 2,000 saplings. According to official sources, lack of funds and the non tabling of the issue in the board meeting are reasons. This year, around 100 plants were already given to Sanjeevaiah Nagar and the remaining places that include Mudfort Triangle Park, Bolarum, and Mahendra Hills will be soon be part of the programme said an official. 

Residents of Teachers Colony, Bhudevi Nagar and several colonies in the cantonment have been complaining that it has been several years since tree plantation took place. Ravinder, a resident of Kharkhana says, “All the greenery is in the Army area. There was greenery in Alwal and Bolarum area but thanks to mushrooming of colonies, the green cover has reduced drastically. R V S Prasad, a retired railway employee and resident of Lothkunta says, “The SCB has no plan of action as it does not come under the purview of GHMC but we the residents are sufferers.” 

BY Sushma Nagaraju