On the first day of this season’s Haritha Haaram, 1,95,700 saplings were planted as part of the city’s civic body’s initiative at 147 locations across the city. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) organised various plantation drives in which IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao, GHMC Mayor B. Rammohan and Commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy along with MLAs and Corporators participated.
Mr. Rama Rao took part in the plantation drives in IT Corridor. Speaking at one of these events, he said while 28 States in the country could manage to plant 50 crore saplings this year, Telangana alone planted around 47 crore saplings. Apart from making rapid progress in different sectors, Telangana is also focusing on improving its green cover, he said.
On the premises of Advance Training Institute (ATI) in the city, Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali planted saplings and expressed confidence that the State government would achieve its target of 230 crore plantations. GHMC Commissioner Janardhan Reddy said, to ensure survival of the plants, ‘Haritha Brigades’ would be formed in every ward of the city. He said free distribution of saplings would continue in order to encourage residents to be a part of the initiative.
GHMC Mayor B. Rammohan appealed to the residents of the colony to participate in the plantation drive in large numbers. Speaking at an event held in Dilsukhnagar, he said the residents’ welfare association should make sure that tree guards were installed and maintained so as to protect the plants. The Chief Secretary, S.P. Singh, said that in the third phase, the city should aim for one crore plantations. BJP MLA Kishan Reddy, Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin, Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath were also a part of the plantation drive.
