Green cover should be increased to 50 per cent by next year: Sidda

Ongole: Minister for Forests, Environment, Science and Technology Sidda Raghava Rao said that 50 per cent of the State should be covered with greenery by 2019, as per the plan of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. 

He participated at the State-level meeting with the forest department officials on Saturday and ordered them to take up initiatives like rallies and seminars to create awareness among public on the need and importance of increasing greenery. In the meeting, the Minister pointed out that about 22.65 per cent of the area in the State has green cover. 

So far the State has planted 50 crore saplings to improve greenery, including 2 crore plants under Vanam Manam programme this year. He announced that the State is about to spend Rs 500 crore to improve groundwater levels in the forest area. He instructed the officials to see that water pits are arranged for the wild animals in the forests.

Raghava Rao suggested to the officials to take initiative in promoting eco-tourism in pilgrim centres and develop science cities and museums in the State. He announced that the State is taking measures to develop social forestry, ecotourism spots and zoo parks. He promised to consider allocation of funds from TTD to the zoo park in Tirupati and reminded the officials that the Chief Minister asked them to prepare a detailed project report to establish a zoo park in Amaravati. 

He advised them to consider promoting tourist spots in and around Amaravati and ordered to develop Bhairavakona in Prakasam district under the eco-tourism project. The Minister promised to release Rs 50 lakh for construction of permanent structures for base camps and strengthen check-posts and striking forces. He ordered the forest officials to work together with the police department to control of smuggling of red sanders. 

He announced that the State received Rs 100 crore by auctioning the red sanders earlier. He expressed dissatisfaction over the maintenance of red sanders storage godowns and ordered the officials concerned to categorise the quality of logs and store them separately.

The forest department officials explained to the Minister about various developmental activities being taken up in their circles through power point presentation. The state forest officer P Mallikharjuna Rao, senior IFRS officials Kajuria, Revati and other forest conservators, DFOs and social forestry officials also participated in the meeting.