Hyderabad: The Telangana government will take up Haritha Haaram, the state government’s greenery programme, as a mass movement like Telangana movement, from July.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a marathon meeting at the MCRHRD Institute on Sunday with ministers, collectors, SPs and district forest officers to prepare an action plan for the success of the programme.
He urged the people to take part in the programme like they did in the statehood movement. Mr Rao said he would not take a helicopter to monitor the programme, but tour all districts in a bus. It was decided to plant 230 crore saplings in the next five years; 40 crore saplings have been kept ready in 4,200 nurseries, which would be planted in the first week of July initially.
Mr Rao also reviewed arrangements for Godavari Pushkaralu starting in July. He discussed with officials measures to check diversion of ration rice to the black market and providing speedy compensation to people who lose their lands for irrigation and other projects. He directed the police to deal with gambling clubs with an iron hand. He said after the TS government had closed the clubs in the city, they had spread to the outskirts. “Haritha Haaram should not be treated like a government programme. In fact, people should actively take part in this like they did in the Telangana movement for 13 years. Public representatives from the CM to sarpanches should take part and plant sapling. Students should be encouraged to participate in large numbers,” Mr Rao said.
Referring to the Pushkaralu, Mr Rao, said, “Since this is the first Pushkaralu in Telangana state, a huge turnout of pilgrims is expected from across the globe. Officials should take steps to set up more changing rooms for women near bathing ghats. All sanitation facilities including toilets should be provided. Special care should be taken with regard to safety and security of women and children. Adequate parking facilities should be provided besides installation of CCTV cameras at all crucial locations.”
Mr Rao asked officials of revenue, municipal, panchayat raj, irrigation, medical and health and police departments to work in full coordination for the smooth and successful conduct of pushkaralu without causing any trouble to pilgrims.
