While cautioning officials to look at ground realities, Minister for Forests Jogu Ramanna and Minister for Irrigation T. Harish Rao said that Medak should be number one in the implementation of the Harita Haram programme.
Participating in a review meeting held at the Collectorate on Thursday, along with Deputy Speaker M. Padma Devender Reddy, the Ministers expressed displeasure over the figures supplied by some officials, stating that they were far from facts.
“The programme will be held from July 3 to July 10. However, this will continue till September end. Involve all political parties, public representatives and people from across sections in the programme and make it a grand success. Conduct mandal parishat meetings and grama sabhas and chart out an action plan,” said Mr. Ramanna. He said that about 3.52 crore saplings would be planted in the district.
Mr. Harish Rao said that not even a yard of place should be left vacant in government offices across the district. Stating that market yards, RTC bus stands and depots, schools, hostels, government hospitals and temples had a large chunk of unused space, he said that all these places could be put to use under the Harita Haram programme.
“It was informed that there are 1,000 industries that are causing pollution and officials stated that 7.43 lakh saplings would be planted by them. I want a weekly report from the Pollution Control Board officials on which company has been planting how many plants and in which survey number,” he said, adding that officials should be nearer to reality instead of floating figures.
Responding to the suggestion made by Mr. Harish Rao, Superintendent of Police B. Sumathi said that rowdy-sheeters and eve teasers would also be made to plant saplings. She also promised to adopt two schools each under each police station limit under the programme.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Harish Rao launched the facebook page of Medak’s Harita Haram programme.
MLC Ramulu Naik announced that all public representatives would contribute one month’s salary for the programme, while officers’ association president Ch. Satyanarayana Reddy announced one-day salary.
Police plant one lakh saplings
The Karimnagar district police, who have played an active role in the Mission Kakatiya programme by taking up desiltation and restoration of minor irrigation tanks, have decided to adopt at least one village in each mandal for the ambitious Haritha Haram programme.
Superintendent of Police D Joel Davis said that the police would adopt a village in each mandal and take up massive plantation as part of the Haritha haram programme by digging the pits etc. Stating that the police would plant more than one lakh saplings in the district, he said that the police along with their families would take up plantation in the police headquarters, all police stations and quarters and other police grounds.
