Green Mission: Nature crusader Prakash begins padayatra to save Chevella banyan trees

As a part of his march, he will walk for nearly 200 km from here to reach Chevella on January 9 to meet scores of green lovers from Hyderabad.

Hanamkonda: Nature lover from the city Kolipaka Prakash (40), popularly known as ‘Desamkosam’ Prakash, has embarked on another green mission by starting off a padayatra to save the Chevella banyan trees near Hyderabad. As a part of his march, he will walk for nearly 200 km from here to reach Chevella on January 9 to meet scores of green lovers from Hyderabad.

Noted writer ‘Ampasayya’ Naveen, poet Nagilla Rama Sastry, founder president of Forum for Better Warangal Pulluru Sudhakar and others flagged off the padayatra from Venkateshwara temple behind the court complex here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Prakash said several nature lovers from Hyderabad were running a campaign to save the centuries’ old banyan trees from being cut to enable the road widening.

“My padayatra concludes on January 9 coinciding with Chipko movement leader Sunderlal Bahuguna’s jayanthi. Scores of green crusaders from Hyderabad will join me on that day,” Prakash said.

As part of the initiative called “Save the Banyans of Chevella ”, tree lovers are seeking to protect 914 mature banyan trees from being felled for widening a section of the Hyderabad-Bijapur highway. It is said some of these trees were planted during the Nizam’s rule and are over 100 years old.