Officials push for a park in every village

Shortage of government land hampers project

Secretary to government of Telangana Sandeep Kumar Sultania along with Collector M. Hanumantha Rao inspecting that plantation at Palle Prakruti Vanam at Kardanur village in Sangareddy district.

“Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao wants to strengthen the villages and Palle Pragathi programme was taken up as part of that. All programmes have been designed as per his directions. Rural parks was one such programme and everyone should make efforts to make it a grand success,” Principal Secretary, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Sandeep Kumar Sultania told a gathering recently.

He was in the district to inaugurate a rural park at Kardanoor village in Patancheru mandal, where some 4,000 saplings were planted in one acre plot and the resultant forest is expected to have a thick growth of greenery.

The officials at field-level were instructed to identify the available place adjacent or close to every village so that the it could be accessible to the public. However, it was becoming difficult for the officials and public representatives to get the required land as the available government land was already used for the purpose of cremation grounds — Vaikuntha Dhamam — and village dumping yard. As a result there was shortage of government land close to the villages and locals are not ready to sell their land for the purpose of developing a park.

In Sangareddy district places were identified in 396 villages out of the total 647 villages and the details were forwarded to the concerned officials at panchayat-level. If the designated one acre of land was not available the officials are limiting it to half acre, but making it clear that there must be a rural park in every village. At two places Kardanur and Aliyabad the rural parks were already established with the active participation of local elected representatives.

In Siddipet district places were identified in 406 villages out of total 499 panchayats followed by 240 panchayats out of 469 panchayats in Medak district.

“The problem with the government is that officials are bringing pressure to take up and complete the works but the bills are not being released immediately. As a result we are unable to take up programmes. We are yet to get money we have invested on dumping yards and graveyards,” said a sarpanch on condition of anonymity.