Visakhapatnam which won accolades at the national level for being the best green city, can take up greenery on a larger scale to provide a green cover as none other can.
This was the observation made by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Commissioner V.N. Vishnu at a tree plantation programme organised by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) in association with The Hindu on the occasion of Nature Conservation Day, at Kapulauppada VUDA Layout on Wednesday morning. “Visakhapatnam is adjudged the most green city. The GVMC, extended over 544 sq.km., is covered up to 42 per cent by green belt.
Water bodies which number about 120, account for another eight per cent which means we have a 50 per cent green cover, thanks to Seethakonda, Kambalakonda, Kapulauppada and other hills,” he said.
He urged people to plant saplings at home, on the streets, in the colony park, school and college premises and workplaces which would increase the green cover a great deal as no other city could. VUDA Vice Chairman B. Sreedhar who presided over the function said the programme was mainly to involve schoolchildren to create awareness among them on nature conservation programme. He was happy that over 600 students from Visakha Valley School, Vignan School, Kapuluppada municipal school and zilla parishad school attended.
Plantation drive
Regional General Manager of The Hindu T.V. Suresh explained the activities of the newspaper in education, nature and other areas in public interest. Principal of Visakha Valley School Sarada Reddy appreciated the organisers and said her school was involved in afforestation programmes since long.
Inner Wheel Club representative Valli Ramgopal said that it was not enough to plant a sapling and leave it. The work should be done with commitment. Earlier, Divisional Forest Officer of VUDA, BVA Krishna Murthy who welcomed the gathering said as many as 2,000 saplings which included red sanders, blackberry, neem, kagu, gulmohar and other varieties were being planted. He thanked those who attended and also the principal of Vignan School, Timmapuram K. Vijayalaxmi for the cooperation extended to make the event a grand success.
