Public reps play a key role in Haritha Haram success: Collector

Warangal: Notwithstanding the plantation of crores of saplings every year under Haritha Haram, there is very little progress the administration can claim credit, Warangal Urban District Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil said.

"In fact, the authorities are in a piquant situation unable to show even a single avenue or a block plantation that has full of trees," he said, speaking at an awareness programme here on Tuesday.

Even though the administration has implemented Haritha Haram programme at full throttle in last few years, the desired results are a far cry, he said. "Although there was little achievement to showcase, travesty is such that we have received several national and state level awards for carrying Haritha Haram programme," Patil said.

It is high time that the people's representatives played a proactive role in making the plantation drive a huge success, he said. Despite the presence of village-level committees for Haritha Haram, lack of monitoring led to the failure of plantation drive, the Collector said.

As per the new norms laid in the Panchayat Raj legislation, Sarpanches and Panchayat Secretaries will have to take the responsibility of protecting saplings to the extent of 85 per cent, he said.

He directed the officials to take up at least 4 kilometre avenue plantation in each gram panchayat. A gram panchayat can appoint five NREGS workers as watchers to protect the saplings, he said. The NREGS workers will be paid Rs 5,275 a month.

The gram panchayats and watchers who ensures 80 per cent survival rate will be provided with incentives, he added. The Collector said that best three gram panchayats in each mandal would get an incentive of Rs 5 lakh. It may be mentioned here that there are seven mandals in the Urban district.

Five watchers, five field assistants, one APO, one EC and five technical assistants from each mandal who perform well for the survival of saplings would get Rs 10,000 incentive, the Collector said. Special officers, MPDOs, nodal and other officials would get certificate of appreciation, he said.

Husnabad MLA V Sathish Kumar said that it is high time that the people focussed on greenery so that to keep the environment safe. Zilla Parishad chairperson M Sudheer Kumar spoke about the ill-effects of the deforestation.

Chief Conservator of Forests M J Akbar said that a WhatsApp group with officials and people's representatives would be created to spread latest techniques to e adopted in the plantation drive. Horticulture Officer Srinivas Rao said that Srigandham plants would provide additional income to farmers. He said that the government was providing saplings free of cost to farmers.

Sarpanches, ZPTCs, MPPs, MPTCs, Panchayat Secretaries, Haritha Haram Nodal Officers and Mandal Special Officers were among others present.