Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao would formally launch the third phase of the Telanganaku Harithan Haram programme by participating in plantation of one lakh saplings in one day in Karimnagar town, at 11.30 am on July 12.
At a review meeting of the Haritha Haram programme with the district officials here on Monday, Minister for Forests Jogu Ramanna said they had planted a total of 48 crore saplings during the last two phases , out of which 67% had survived. For the upcoming third phase of the programme, they were taking measures to ensure 100% survival of the plantation, he said.
The Chief minister accorded priority to development of green cover in the urban areas on a par with rural areas, he said, adding that Haritha Rakshana committees would be constituted for protection of the saplings. He said they had chalked out strategies to plant a total of 8 lakh saplings in each mandal and 40,000 saplings in the villages. The forest department played a crucial role in the protection of saplings. Minister for Finance and Civil Supplies Eatala Rajender called upon the people to play a responsible role for protection of saplings planted under theprogramme.
MLC Naradasu Laxman Rao, legislator V. Satish Babu, Mayor S. Ravinder Singh, Collector Sarfaraz Ahmed, Principal Chief conservator of forests P.K. Jha, and Municipal Commissioner K. Shashanka were present.
