Dy CM Tells Forest Officials To Increase Green Cover By 50% In AP

Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan directed the forest officials to constitute AP Green Society within a week to increase the green cover by 50 per cent in Andhra Pradesh. He also warned of strict action against those neglecting duties.

He interacted with the forest officials at a review meeting on Saturday. He asked the officials about the recovery of red sanders belonging to the state smuggled to China, Japan, Singapore and other countries.

At the same time, he admonished the forest officials who had failed to complete assigned tasks in a stipulated time. Vanajeevi Ramaiah, Dusarla Satyanarayana had created wonders by dedicating their lives to conservation of environment. When they could achieve so much by working individually, you can achieve much more by working as a system, he said.

The Dy CM asked the officials to upload all details about the land encroached and recovered, individuals on whom cases had been registered on the forest department's official website.

Recently, the land encroached by former minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy in Mangalam forest, Chittoor district and YSRC leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy in Kadapa districts have been recovered. Cases should be registered against all those encroaching lands. To protect the forest land from encroachment, Geotag Spatial Survey should be held.

He directed the officials to use the help of technology in detecting encroachment, felling of trees and other crimes happening in the forests within minutes.

The forest department would take up manufacture of 2.5 crore seed balls, which would be dispersed in July, August through drones.