APSBB Unveils Green Roadmap For Andhra Pradesh
The meeting took note of studies on Eastern Ghats’ flora and coastal marine biodiversity, which are being conducted by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute: Reports
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (APSBB) chairman Neelayapalem Vijay Kumar on Wednesday announced an ambitious conservation and urban greening roadmap for Andhra Pradesh.
Reviewing the board’s ongoing projects at a meeting in Vijayawada, Vijay Kumar highlighted the record 200 per cent growth in biodiversity Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds during 2025-26. Those who attended the board meeting included member secretary P. Ramakrishna and senior officials from Environment, Forest, Agriculture, Municipal Administration, Panchayat Raj, Tribal Welfare, and Animal Husbandry departments.
Following the meeting, the APSBB chairman said the first phase of Kadapa Biodiversity Park is nearing completion and is expected to be inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, who holds the Forest portfolio, in September.
Vijay Kumar said the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board is further planning to establish biodiversity parks at Mangalagiri and Tirupati in collaboration with the Forest department.
The APSBB chairman said to strengthen urban ecology, the board has approved a pilot project for developing “Micro-Forests” at busy junctions in major towns and mini biodiversity parks within existing Nagara Vanams. The board has further cleared the rollout of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) across the state. In addition, it has decided to seek government approval for starting a Section 8 company to mobilise CSR funds for conservation activities.
The meeting took note of studies on Eastern Ghats’ flora and coastal marine biodiversity, which are being conducted by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute. It expressed happiness that the City Biodiversity Index reports for Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Kadapa are nearing completion.
APSBB member secretary Ramakrishna said training for biodiversity management committees will be decentralised to the mandal level, while state-level essay and elocution competitions will promote environmental awareness among students.
He said the board plans to expand Access and Benefit Sharing compliance beyond red sanders, bringing more biological resource-based companies under the Biodiversity Act, 2025.