'Haritha Haram' is a big scam: Ponnam

Hyderabad: Congress senior leader and ex-MP Ponnam Prabhakar has alleged that the Haritha Haram programme being implemented by the Telangana Government was a huge scam. Chief Minister K. Chadrashekar Rao has launched the third phase of Haritha Haram programme at Karimnagar today.

Speaking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Ponnam said that the programme in the name of increasing cover was being misused to extort money from corporates and private firms. He alleged that KCR's family and TRS workers have amassed crores of rupees in the name of Haritha Haram programme.

Ponnam said to plant 40 crore saplings every year, Telangana State would need about 10 lakh acres of land. Do we have so much of open land? he asked. He said nearly 60% area in Telangana State was agriculture land and 24% is forest cover. He asked whether it was possible to plant 40 crore saplings every year on remaining 16% land. "How would you get 200 crore saplings in five years and where would you plant them? Last year, the State Government claimed that it had planted 49 crore saplings under Haritha Haram programme. What is their status today?" he asked.

Ponnam said all ministers and entire district administration have kept themselves busy for arrangements for Chief Minister's visit to Karimnagar today. He said all shops and establishments in Karimnagar were forcibly closed on Tuesday evening. "Why KCR is so afraid of facing people if he believes that they are happy with the performance of his government?" he said.

Ponnam also demanded that the Chief Minister furnish complete details of total saplings planted so far, amount spent on them and how many of them survived during the last three years.