People’s participation sought to increase green cover in State

Minister kick-starts Haritha Haram 7th phase

Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao has termed the Haritha Haram as the third biggest mass afforestation programme in human history, only next to China’s Great Green Wall and Brazil’s reforestation of Amazon projects. Planting and protection of greenery has become a habit in the State, which can be evidenced through the report of the Forest Survey of India vouching for the increased green cover in the State, Mr. Rama Rao said, after kick-starting the seventh phase of Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme for mass afforestation along with Minister for Environment and Forests A. Indrakaran Reddy here on Thursday. After launching the programme by inauguration of an urban forest park developed by HMDA in the Pedda Amberpet area close to the Outer Ring Road, Mr. Rama Rao said 129 such parks are being developed in the urban areas of the State. Within the purview of HMDA, 59 urban forest parks are being developed in 1.6 lakh acres, he said.