Forests will be turned into tourist spots: Sidda

Guntur: Forests minister Sidda Raghava Rao said eco-tourism would be developed on a large-scale converting the dry patches, which account for the half of 23 per cent forest cover in the state, into beautiful islands of greenery to attract tourists. He said the government had planted 23 crore saplings as against the target of 25 crore saplings.

Raghava Rao was speaking at a programme organised to commemorate the Forest Martyrs Day here on Friday. City parks called Nagaravanams, like the one that was opened recently in Guntur, would be set up in all the districts to make the state eco-friendly.

He paid rich tributes to 14 forest personnel who laid their lives while protecting forests by garlanding their portraits and promising to help their families.

District collector Kona Sasidhar said human said human survival itself would be in danger if forests are not protected and noted that three of the 14 forest employees who sacrificed their lives were from the Guntur district. He said the district administration would extend all the possible help to the families of these martyrs.

Guntur-2 MLA M Venugopala Reddy said the government is committed to increase the forest land up to 50 per cent. S K Choutroy, principal chief conservator of forests, said November 10 would be observed as the Forest Martyrs Day every year to remember the sacrifices of forest department staff. Dr K Suryanarayana, chief conservator of forests, Guntur, Ram Mohan Rao, district forest officer, and others participated in the programme.