City runs for green cover

​Rajamahendravaram: East Godavari Collector H Arun Kumar said that `Nagaravanam’ programmesis meant to promote urban afforestation, clean and green environment for citizens living in urban areas.

He flagged off 5-K run on Friday from Government Arts College to Forest Development Centre near Autonagar on National Highway-16. MLC Somu Veerraju, MLA Dr. Akula Satyanarayana, Mayor Pantam Rajani Sesha Sai and Commissioner V Vijayarama Raju participated in the run.

Addressing the huge gathering at Arts College grounds, where hundreds of youth from different colleges including GIET engineering College, GSL Medical College, Aditya Degree College and Sri Medha Junior College students took part, the Collector said that under social forestry the forest department is trying to grow forests in a big way and in urban areas it is developing walking tracks, cycling tracks separately.

He also said that apart from Nagaravanam, in Rajamahendravanam Nagaravanam forest officials have grown large varieties of medicinal plants. He appealed to citizens of Rajamahendravanam to take a walk early in the morning at this Nagaravanam to stay healthy.

City MLA Dr. Akula Satyanarayana said that it is becoming very difficult to get a lung space in cities and developing Nagaravanam concept will be useful to the urban people who can go to the outskirts on their bicycles or motorcycles. MLC Mr. Veerraju opined that health consciousness has increased even in semi-urbanites, so it is important to develop parks with walking and jogging tracks.