Mega plantation drive at University of Hyderabad

Gachibowli: On the occasion of 'World Nature Conservation Day' the University of Hyderabad (UoH), in collaboration with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA); World Green Army; National Service Scheme (NSS) and Student for Development, organised a "mega" plantation drive on the campus on Wednesday. A total of 10,000 saplings were planted on different locations.

Vice-Chancellor Prof B J Rao was the chief guest and planted the first sapling in presence of senior professor Prof Arun Agarwal of School of Computer and Information Sciences; P Sardar Singh, Registrar; Professors R S Sarraju (School of Humanities); A C Narayana (School of Earth Sciences), Bopanna Nagarjuna, (Dean Student Welfare); Dr A Bindu Madhava Reddy (NSS Coordinator); Dr Ravula Krishnaiah (Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Coordinator); GV Reddy (Assistant Registrar, Horticulture department) and CP Sharma, senior horticulturist.

Rao observed that whereas conservation was done naturally by nature, human beings were now doing the conservation. "This has happened, because they themselves have done the de-conservation. We need to restore the natural flora and fauna. Naturalists should help us to restore and conserve and awareness of natural biodiversity as necessary. Nature has chosen biodiversity for its own beauty, whereas human beings are doing it for commercial purposes, which is not correct. Let us get closer to nature for the beauty of its own sake", he advised.

Meanwhile, Prof Agarwal said, "World Nature Conservation Day allows us to contemplate the importance of a sustainable environment. University has taken several earlier initiatives like Save Water through check dams and recharging ground water, Save Electricity through solar panel deployment, recycling processed sewage water for watering plants. Today's event was another attempt to put plantations along the corridor to increase the green cover".

He further thanked HMDA, NSS and others for extending their helping hands.

The event was coordinated by V V Subba Rao, assistant horticulturist, and Rohit Kumar Bondugula, PhD scholar (School of Computer Information Sciences). University officers, staff and students were also present.