AP State aims to raise forest cover to 33%

Vijayawada: The state government is aiming to increase forest cover from the current 23 per cent to 33 per cent, said minister for forests, environment, power and mines Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy. He was participating in the valedictory of the two-day Forcon-AP1 organised by the forests department here on Friday.

The minister said that the forests are important for the survival of humans and all the state governments are giving utmost priority for afforestation. The forests department should work hard to increase the forest coverage in the state, he said.

As minister for forests in Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy government, he had taken crucial decisions to control smuggling of red sanders by appointing 1+4 force in the 24 divisions across the state apart from providing 300 vehicles to the forest staff. The minister exhorted the forests department officials to putdown the smugglers with an iron hand. He advised the officials to encourage growing red sanders trees in the patta lands at Tirupati. Ramachandra Reddy said that Chief Minister was determined to completely plastic in order to protect environment. Single use plastic was already banned in Tirumala and the plastic waste is being sent to recycling in Srirsailam.

Stating that AP is in the forefront in protection of wild life, he said there are 75 tigers in the sanctuary at Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam. Likewise, the number of elephants is also growing. Referring to the recent straying of elephants into the human dwellings, the minister said that the officials should find ways to drive them back to forest.

The government wants to promote ecotourism and as part of it 28 Nagara Vanams were developed across the state. The Jagananna Saswata Bhuhakku-Bhuraksha scheme would help demark the forest land, he explained. The minister complimented Tirupati CPF Nageswara Rao and the Chittoor DFOs for striving hard to protect forest reserve lands. Principal chief conservator of forests Y Madhusudan Reddy recalled that after three years gap, the forest department convened the conference here.

He hoped that this would help to prepare action plan to improve forest coverage and protect environment. Stating that there was no coordination in the department, he underlined the importance of protecting forest land. Special chief secretary Nirabh Kumar Prasad and several forest department officials participated.