All-out bid by govt to mak green drive a grand success

​Hyderabad: The State government seems to be leaving no stone unturned to make its flagship programme Haritha Haram a grand success. Officials of various departments have been directed to take active part in the green drive and involve people from all walks of life in its effort to increase forest cover in the State manifold. 

In order to prepare officials concerned for the fourth phase of Haritha Haram, Chief Secretary SK Joshi here on Tuesday held a video conference with District Collectors and top officials from the Secretariat. During the conference, Joshi said the fourth phase of Haritha Haram would be successful with involvement of people. He called upon people to make the Haritha Haram a success by their active involvement as the program was on brisk pace due to good rainfall.

The Chief Secretary said two days of training classes would be conducted at the State, district, mandal and village level on the green drive for massive afforestation programme. For this, two days of training would be conducted for officials - three each from Education and Forest departments at Forest Academy in Dhulapally on July 26 and 27.

The trained officials in turn would offer training to others in districts, mandals and villages on the Haritha Haram programme, he said. He also stressed the need for creating awareness through special meetings for people to shoulder responsibility on plantation that essentially should be taken up green drive in their residences. “We need to involve students and parents in the greenery programme to ensure that they plant saplings on the premises of their houses,” he said.

The Chief Secretary also asked the district officials to take steps for protection of forests against encroachments and strengthening the forest area. The officials informed that about 16 per cent of saplings were planted from the beginning of the fourth phase of green drive. He said, “As part of the green drive, we need to protect the forests, stop cutting trees and strengthen the mission through the drive by involving people,” he said.