HYDERABAD : Thanks to the massive plantation drive ‘Mukkoti Vriksharchana’ organised by the TRS party activists, public representatives and government officials, on the occasion of MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao’s birthday, the Telangana Forest Department has managed to set another record. The participants kicked off the drive in the early hours of Saturday itself, aiming to plant about 3.3 crore saplings by the end of the day.
After the completion of the programme, the Forest Department announced that it has created a record of planting 50 lakh saplings in a single day. This included the planting of 37.54 lakh saplings inside forests and Compensatory Afforestation (CA) lands in 32 districts, except Hyderabad. The rest were planted outside the forest area. The highest number of saplings planted inside forests and CA lands was in Adilabad (4.97 lakh saplings).
The plantation drive witnessed enthusiastic participation from hundreds of public representatives belonging to the ruling party, including Ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs. In fact, according to TRS Rajya Sabha MP J Santosh Kumar, as many as 3.2 crore saplings were planted in the day, which included plantation of 2.5 crore saplings in just rural areas. He added that the Hyderabad Mayor, along with corporators, ensured plantation of 10 lakh saplings in the capital city. Meanwhile, with the help of elected councillors, the 142 municipalities in the State ensured the plantation of about 25 lakh saplings.
The organisers of Green India Challenge took the initiative of conducting the ‘Mukkoti Vriksharchana’ to celebrate Rama Rao’s birthday. The MP said that he, along with Minister Koppula Eshwar, planted saplings in various places in erstwhile Karimnagar district, including Ramagundam, Godavarikhani, SCCL area, Sultanabad, Choppadandi, Vedurugatta and Kudurupaka.
About 3.3 crore saplings planted at various places across the State on the occasion of KT Rama Rao’s birthday