Protect saplings, people told

Hyderabad: Housing and Endowment Minister A Indrakaran Reddy on Saturday exhorted the people to voluntarily participate in the green drive to transform the State into “Haritha Telangana” besides making persistent efforts to protect them.

Addressing an awareness programme for village panchayat Haritha Parirakshana Committee at Divya Gardens in Niramal district, the Minister felt that plantation drive would protect environment from pollution.

He said that all the leaders and people should work in tandem to make the green drive a grand success. He called upon the District Collectors, officials and leaders to conduct the green drive to plant 100 per cent of saplings. “It is our duty to expand green cover by planting more number of saplings and protect them later on,” he said.

The Minister said Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao would be launching the green drive programme at Karimnagar on July 12. Ministers, MPs, MLAs along with local leaders and officials will participate in the Haritha Haram on the same day in districts, towns and villages.

The aim of the green drive is to expand forest cover to 33 per cent from 24 per cent to attract more rains and route out pollution, he added.