7.70 per cent green cover increase in Telangana: Indrakaran Reddy

Indrakaran Reddy said as part of the Haritha Haram programme, about 19.29 crore saplings would be planted during 2023 and 20.02 crore during 2024 in Telangana

Hyderabad: Forests and Environment Minister A Indrakaran Reddy on Sunday informed the Assembly that there was an increase of 7.70 percent in green coverage in Telangana from 2015 to 2021.

Replying to a question raised by BRS members Kranthi Kiran, D Manohar Reddy and Ajmeera Rekha during the Question Hour, Indrakaran Reddy said as per the assessment made by the Forest Survey of India using the satellite remote sensing data, the forest cover of the State had increased by 7.70 percent during the last six years.

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To improve green cover in the State, the government has planned to undertake a massive plantation programme during the next two years. He said as part of the Haritha Haram programme, about 19.29 crore saplings would be planted during 2023 and 20.02 crore during 2024. Under the CAMPA Soil Moisture Conservation programme, about 6.7 lakh acres of degraded forest lands were being rejuvenated to improve green cover, he said.

Indrakaran Reddy said that 10 percent of the annual budget of Gram Panchayat and municipalities was being earmarked for taking up sapling plantation programmes in GP and urban local bodies. Geotagging of saplings was being done to ensure proper monitoring, he said.