Green cover survey with drones

Vijayawada: The state government has plans to conduct a survey with drones in the next few days to analyse green cover in the limits of Amaravati capital location and Vijayawada city. The recent survey of the state government disclosed that there is two per cent growth in the total forest area of the state. Now, the proposed survey will reveal the latest greenery position in Amaravati and Vijayawada city.

The state government has already introduced various plans to improve green cover to make weather cool particularly in Vijayawada city. The government wants to bring in some more plans after completion of the proposed survey based on report. According to officials, the state government is keen to improve green cover in and around Amaravati capital location. Generally, weather of Vijayawada city is very hot and it touches almost 50 degrees Celsius in summer.

The employees especially IT and other related sections of people prefer cool weather. The cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru are in the preferable locations of IT companies due to suitable weather which is also one of the reasons, said V Rami Reddy, a higher official in the noted private construction company. He said the weather in Vijayawada city is not suitable for people who have been living in various cities so far. So, they do not like to shift to Vijayawada city, he added.

The state government also taken into consideration all these aspects. For a beginning, it has introduced various plans to make the weather cool. The seeds of various varieties of plants were sown on hills from helicopter two years ago. 

Similarly, the saplings were planted on hills around the city. Besides, the pipelines are proposed for providing water to the plantations on the hills. Some of the works were launched long ago but the officials did not analyse their current position.

Now, the state government wants to collect the present green cover data by conducting a survey, said AP Urban Greening and Beautification Corporation director Mustafa. He said the similar survey was conducted in Tirupati recently. After completion of the survey, the greenery development plans would be revised and revitalised, he said.

By Patibandla Srinivas