More States seek Telangana’s guidance in green rejuvenation

After Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, now Tamil Nadu is making efforts to emulate Telangana’s Haritha Haram.

Hyderabad: Impressed with the Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme and the substantial rise in the State’s forest cover, more States are seeking Telangana’s guidance in green rejuvenation.

After Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, now Tamil Nadu is making efforts to emulate Telangana’s Haritha Haram. The Tamil Nadu government aims to plant 265 crore saplings over the next 10 years as part of its Green Tamil Nadu programme. Towards this, Tamil Nadu government officials are examining Telangana’s Haritha Haram measures.

“We have received an oral invitation from Tamil Nadu forest department to make a presentation on Haritha Haram and its success” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) RM Dobriyal. The meeting would be in January.

This is not the first time that the Telangana Forest department is making a presentation on Haritha Haram. Two years ago, the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh government had evinced interest in replicating the green initiative, following which the Telangana Forest department made a detailed presentation to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the steps taken as part of the State’s flagship programme.

Prior to Uttar Pradesh, meetings were held with Maharashtra and Karnataka governments as well, Dobriyal said. At a meeting in Maharashtra three years ago, the then Forest Minister Sudhir Mugantiwar was very impressed with Haritha Haram and so were the Karnataka government officials, he said.

Unfortunately, most officials focus on the numbers than the quality of seedlings, survival of saplings and other factors. In fact, a team from Uttar Pradesh was here six months back to assess all these factors for successful implementation of the programme.

To begin with, the plant materials have to be top quality and there has to be advance planning for every season of plantation, he explained, adding that sourcing seedlings, preferably indigenous varieties was also important for plantation drive.

Above all factors, it was political will that plays a crucial role in effective implementation of the programme. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has been emphasizing on green cover right from 2015, he said on the reasons behind Telangana’s success.

Continuing its emphasis on the green cover, the Telangana government has amended the Panchayat Raj Act and Municipal Administration Act, making it mandatory for the local bodies to ensure 85 per cent survival of saplings, he pointed out.

Tamil Nadu Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) Supriya Sahu tweeted “Travelled to Telangana to learn about their initiatives in greening the State under the afforestation programme ‘Telangana Ku Haritha Haram’. Impressive well maintained nurseries with tall seedlings are worth emulating. Convergence approach works well.

In reply, Telangana PCCF Mohan Pargaien tweeted “Availability of quality seedlings has helped a lot to ensure success in tree planting programme and all departmental plantations now have quite high survival rate more than 95 per cent”

Rajya Sabha Member J Santosh Kumar tweeted “Thank you Supriya Ji, your observation and kind comments on the Telangana Ku Haritha Haram, the brainchild initiative of our beloved Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, mean a lot to us. Thank you so much”