Vana Mahotsavam celebrated : Enrol students in NGC scheme

• In all, 1,341 major educational institutions are functioning in the district and from each institution the management should promote 50 students in the National Green Carpet Scheme, Minister  for Roads and Buildings Ch Ayyanna Patrudu said
• Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao called upon the school managements to ensure every student plant one sapling in the season
• Under the MGNREGS this year, the government has fixed a target to plant six crore saplings with geo-tagging. Every fourth Saturday in the month was announced as a plantation day and every department should take up the programme as a mandatory, he said

Visakhapatnam: Minister for Roads and Buildings Chintakayala Ayyannapatrudu directed the school and college managements to enroll selected students in National Green Carpet Scheme to promote green cover in the district. 

There are 1,341 major educational institutions in the district and from each institution the managements should promote 50 students in the National Green Carpet Scheme, the minister said.

The district administration and forest department celebrated the 69th Vana Mahotsavam at Kambalakonda reserve forest on Saturday. 

While participating in the programme, Ayyannapatrudu said that they selected about 67,000 students, who would act as brand ambassadors to promote the plantation drive, in the district. 

Speaking about the Kambalakonda reserve forest, the minister said that the sanctuary is one of the very rare forest areas in the country located in the city limits. The total extent of the Kambalakonda is 18,000 acres and it would be developed with more green cover, he added.

Speaking about the agency area development programme, the minister said that the state government sanctioned 408 km-long highway from Rajahmahendravaram to Vizianagaram via Rampachodavaram, Lambasingi, Paderu and Araku. 

Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao said that everyone should plant a sapling and take care till the sapling grows. He called upon the school managements to ensure every student plant one sapling in the season. 

Under the MGNREGS this year, the government has fixed a target to plant six crore saplings with geo- tagging. Every fourth Saturday in the month was announced as a plantation day and every department should take up the programme as a mandatory, he said. 

Collector Pravin Kumar informed that as a part of mission Harithandhra Pradesh, an action plan was drafted involving all the government departments at district, mandal and village level administrations to plant 2.32 crore sapling this year.

Zilla Parishad Chairperson L Bhavani administered ‘Vanam Manam pledge to the participants.