Haritha Nidhi to have multiple impact
Hyderabad: Telangana’s Haritha Nidhi is not just another fund, but one with an impact that will manifest itself in multiple ways in the coming years, ranging from helping the State achieving the National Forest Policy target of 33 per cent forest cover, to increasing greenery in such a way that future generations will benefit, be part of and feel part of the forestry here.
According to retired IFS officer Tej Singh Kardam, the State government had initiated the Haritha Nidhi in the ‘decade of Ecosystem Restoration’ for improvement of environmental conditions. Apart from proper implementation of Haritha Haram, the green fund would also aim at making the people of the State aware that protection of environment is not the responsibility of only the government, but of every individual.
“As a retired forester, I feel that the scheme of Haritha Nidhi is in the right perspective and will certainly help in protection and preservation of existing resources. In addition, it will generate tree cover and the State will achieve the target required under the National Forest Policy. The scheme, Haritha Nidhi, will not only emulate the sensibility and responsibility amongst the people for protection of existing forests and increasing forest cover in the State, but will also help in combating climate change and global warming,” he said, adding that Haritha Haram, since 2015 till March 2021, had already seen the forest cover in Telangana increasing by about 3.6 per cent.
A Shankaran, OSD (Wildlife), Telangana Forests Department, pointing out that funding for forestry was an issue everywhere, said Haritha Nidhi was a welcome move.
“But it should be systematised and should not be left to somebody’s big heartedness. It should collected properly, and more importantly, used properly and also have tangible results,” he said.
Haritha Nidhi, Shankaran felt, was the first small step, and if handled properly in the first couple of years, could be built into a major fund. Departments issuing permissions could charge small amounts that people wouldn’t mind, with the funds thus collected used not just for greenery, but alternatives to plastic and wood, maintenance of plantations and overall protection of environment, including water-bodies and wetlands too.
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