District administration targets to plant 3.30 crore saplings: Collector

Khammam: District administration has planned to plant 3,30 crore saplings during the fifth phase of Telangana Ku Haritha Haram (TKKH) programme this year, according to District said the District Collector R V Karnan here on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media here, the Collector gave the details of the programme. The target given to the Forest Department this year has been doubled. The department has been given the task of planting one crore saplings. The Forest officials could plant 12 lakh only so far because deficit rainfall.

"We will speed up plantation works as soon as there is a good rainfall " Karnan said, expressing the hope that the target would be achieved. On the other hand, the district administration is conducting a massive awareness programmes in the villages to motivate the farmers to opt for short-duration crops in the wake of deficit rainfall in this khariff season. The District Collector said the district has received 51 per cent less rainfall than normal rainfall in the season.

The farmers have been advised to not to go in for water intensive crops like paddy.

He said the farming community in the district has also been advised to go in for inter-cropping for better use of available water. Mandal-wise action plan has been prepared to conduct awareness programme to educate farmers.

He said many farmers in Sathupalli, Vemsoor and Kallur mandals have taken up inter-cropping in about 7,000 acres and earned good yields with less water. The farmers, who intend to cultivate paddy, are advised to follow wet-and-dry method to reduce consumption of water.