Say it with plantation
TRS MP J. Santosh Kumar has given a challenge to the party’s rank and file as also to other supporters and fans of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to plant one crore saplings across the State in one hour to coincide with KCR’s birthday falling on February 17, as part of the Green India Challenge. The task has also been taken up by the administration in districts by making arrangements for the drive on February 17, although it is taken up mainly as an event by the party. Party leaders have asked the rank and file, particularly elected representatives at different levels, to plant three saplings each and also take up the responsibility of protecting them till they reach a safe level to show their regard and greet KCR on his birthday.
Focus back on NCDC
The focus is back on setting up of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) here. The State government is said to have identified three possible locations for setting it up and sent the same to the Central government for consideration. Interestingly, the Centre had asked the State to allot land for setting up NCDC more than a couple of years ago and sanctioned funds. But the proposal did not move due to delays in identification of land.
There is a renewed focus on NCDC since Union MoS for Home Kishan Reddy’s criticism of inordinate delay in allotting land. Coupled with this was the announcement by the Centre that funds would be allocated for setting up of virology labs in the latest budget. The government should at least now speed up the process of land allocation and see that the lab did not go to other States.
(B. Chandrashekhar and M. Rajeev)
