Telangana’s effort pays off as Hyderabad tops green chart

[hyperbole]

 

Telangana’s effort pays off as Hyderabad tops green chart

Hyderabad: A massive effort yielded fruit with Hyderabad topping all mega cities in the country in green cover developed over the last one decade. If the increase was as much as 147% — from 33.15 sq km to 81.81 sq km — as per Indian State of Forest Report (IFSR) 2021, it was because of the many measures that were taken. 
Plantations along the 158km ORR, at road intersections, along highways, development of parks, and also turning graveyards green, were what contributed to the city emerging in the top position. 

While Haritha Haram, a programme of planting saplings, was what mainly led to the improvement in the city, the development of urban forest parks has been another huge contributor. 
Principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) R Shobha, who participated in a video conference with union minister for environment, forests, and climate change, Bhupender Yadav on Thursday told TOI a highlight of the achievement was development of 188 forest blocks in 129 locations in HMDA limits. A total of 1.60 lakh acre was being rejuvenated. 

In all, 59 urban parks located in HMDA over 59,522 acre are being rejuvenated. Of these, 16 urban reserve forest parks are almost ready. One of them at Pedda Amberpet was inaugurated by minister K T Rama Rao on July 1, 2021. This urban park is also the biggest. Amberpet Kalan forest urban park is spread over 1,075.64 acre and has 2.89 lakh plants. “It was about not leaving any space unutilised. The plantation was done in a scientific manner,” a forest official said. 
Currently, Warangal highway has been ‘saturated’ up to Raigir and in two or three months plantation is to be completed up to Alair. Similarly, Rajiv Rahadari, Kurnool Road and Shamshabad airport to Srisailam road have all been ‘saturated’. “We left nothing, except sheet rock where we could not plant saplings,” the forest official said. The ORR interchanges have been another place where dense plantation has been done. Greenery was also developed along the Musi, in addition to 150 parks in the city.

 

[hyperbole]