Revanth Reddy keeps mum on tree felling in agri varsity, urges women to plant saplings

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy ignored the outcry over tree felling at the Agricultural University and instead urged women to plant saplings during the Vanamahotsavam launch. He also promised 60 Assembly seats for women following constituency delimitation.

Hyderabad: Completely ignoring the controversy on the large-scale felling of trees on the Agricultural University premises ahead of the Vanamahotsavam programme, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday appealed to people, especially women, to plant at least two saplings at their homes.

Agricultural University students had raised an alarm over the felling of trees in the Botanical Garden on Sunday, where nearly 20 earthmovers were deployed to clear around 20 acres of greenery.

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Ironically, the Chief Minister made the appeal during the launch of the State’s Vanamahotsavam programme at the university campus. He claimed that if women planted saplings, they would protect and nurture them like their own children.

Revanth Reddy also announced that with the delimitation of Assembly constituencies, the number of seats would increase to 150, and women’s reservation would be implemented.

“In addition to 51 seats under the 33 per cent reservation quota, I will take responsibility for offering nine more seats to women, taking the tally to 60,” he said.

Meanwhile, the forest department has reduced the plantation target for this year’s drive to 18.02 crore saplings, down from the usual 20 crore, citing a lack of available space.