Officials toil hard for survival of plants under Haritha Haram

Hyderabad: In order to ensure the survival of the saplings being planted in Telanganaku Haritha Haram programme, the Rural Development department has initiated several steps.

As the department felt that survival of the saplings was key to make THH a success, it has relaxed few norms in this regard. Already the Panchayat Raj department has initiated 60 Days Plan programme.

Issuing instructions to the officials of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department, the officials of RD said that it is decided to increase the limit of number of Teak plants to be given to each farmer (small and marginal farmers) from 1,000 to 2,000 plants.

The norms to give incentive for ensuring the survival have been relaxed and payment will be made individually to each surviving plant.

The Gram Panchayats have been told to appoint watcher through resolution and in case of delay in watchers payment, the GP should pay from its funds.

The watcher for community lands and roadside avenues would be monitored by the panchayat secretary. It is decided to increase the brushwood fencing rate from Rs 140 to Rs 160 per plant and proper training to be given to wage seekers and mates on brushwood fencing.

Training should be imparted to mates and also to wage seekers who are attending planting activity, protection and watch ward. It was also noticed that due to low quality of bags supplied, field staff is not able to maintain plants for longer period.

It is also noticed that the bags supplied at present are black in colour and are prepared from recycled material. These issues would be resolved soon.

At present 10 litres water is given to each plant in community land plantations and in roadside avenue plantations.

It would be increased to 15 litres per plant and cost of water including transportation (for tanker with 5,000 litre) will be increased from Rs 480 to Rs 600 in all the districts on par with Siddipet. Number of waterings per year will be 36.

Bags with 250 gauge should be procured, which are prepared from granules. This year quality of bag will be monitored strictly.

It is also suggested to start nursery activities by the end of August to have good quality seedlings and it is suggested to procure locally available seed and proper precautions should be taken with regard to procurement of seed, as it is noticed that the seed procured from suppliers from far way places, gave very less germination, when compared to the seed procured locally.

Survival data will be captured by the field assistant on or before 7th of every month and thereafter musters of plantation watch and ward payments will be prepared by the field assistant, and these musters will be counter signed by the concerned panchayat secretary.

One web report will be deployed in the RAGA soft, showing the plantation wise survival and payment done for watch and ward in printable format.

Print out of such format may be taken out and should be displayed at GP notice board.