Congress’s negligence destroying Telangana’s green cover: Harish Rao

Senior BRS MLA and former minister T Harish Rao recalled the achievements of the Haritha Haram programme launched under former CM KCR. He said Telangana's green cover had increased from 24 per cent to 31 per cent, with over 250 crore saplings planted.

Hyderabad: Senior BRS MLA and former minister T Harish Rao criticised the Congress government for dampening Telangana’s environmental progress and destroying the State’s green cover. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy‘s negligence was evident not only in environmental destruction, but also in governance, he said.

Taking to X on Thursday on the occasion of World Environment Day, Harish Rao recalled the achievements of the Haritha Haram programme launched under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. He said Telangana’s green cover had increased from 24 per cent to 31 per cent, with over 250 crore saplings planted.

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“We did not just promise a greener future, we delivered,” he asserted.

However, the current Congress regime had reversed that progress, with  the government slashing plantation funding by 53 per cent, from Rs.36 crore to Rs.17 crore, and drastically reducing afforestation targets, he said, also condemning the felling of trees on the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus, calling it a symbol of the government’s disregard for the environment and wildlife.

“The Congress chopped down trees at UoH, leading to environmental and wildlife destruction. The trees at UoH fell victim to his actions. We demand for restoration of the forest at the earliest, in accordance with the Supreme Court directions,” he added.