Vijayawada: Krishna district forest department has finalised a plan to plant five lakh trees along the district’s coast, mostly in Machilipatnam area.
Earlier, the forest department had failed to implement the Coastal Regulation Zone rules, right from Tada to Ichapuram.
As per CRZ rules, no construction activity, including roads, is allowed along the coastline. A green belt along the coastline must be developed as it acts as a natural barrier against natural calamities like cyclones.
However, this invaluable natural barrier is being eroded at an alarming rate. The forest department has found that about 60 per cent of this green belt has vanished in the district.
Taking this into account, the district forest department has prepared a blueprint to strengthen the coastline.
As many as 15 varieties of trees most of them native to the area, have been identified, and will be planted along the coast.
“Most of these plants are grown in nurseries and will not survive for long,” said district forest conservator K. Rammohana Rao. The department had earlier planted 50,000 trees along the coast, but had to overcome several challenges, he added.
Mr Rao said that the blue revolution (aqua culture) had damaged the green belt badly.
As part of the state government’s ‘Neeru-Chettu’ programme, the forest department will plant 75 lakh trees this year.
