After a gap of one year, the GHMC again is going to unfold a green drive through the next phase of the Haritha Haram program from the 15th of March this month.
This time the GHMC has proposed to take up plantation drive by planting 20 thousand saplings each in all the 6 circles such as Malakpet-6, Santoshnagar-7, Chandrayangutta-8, Charminar-9, Falaknuma-10 and Rajendra Nagar-11 of Charminar Zone.
The nurseries being set up by the GHMC under the supervision of the Urban Biodiversity Wing will provide different varieties of saplings.
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The best part of the Haritha Haram program this year would come from a provision of ‘public participation’ as the GHMC reportedly decided to distribute 5 to 10 saplings each among the citizens. However, people have to furnish their Aadhaar card copy to take away their favorite saplings to home.
According to officials several varieties of saplings such as tabebuia rosea, spathodea bohemia, bignonia, sissoo, Pongamia, nemali Nara and neem would be used for avenue parking in several parks, roads and main thoroughfares in all the circle under South Zone.
“Last time the Haritha Haram program was not taken up due to coronavirus lockdown but this time, if the situation permits, the same will be taken up in a big way for which the ensemble of saplings were already made ready. If everything goes well, the plantation program will kick start from 15th of this month. As public participation is an important aspect of the program, the people especially the plant lovers will be elated to know that they will get atleast 5 to 10 saplings each this time provided they have to furnish their Aadhaar copy,” the sources informed.
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However, the naysayers and the right activists are not happy with the way the government is taking up the Haritha Haram program every year without having a proper mechanism to secure the saplings. “There were several locations in the city and outskirts where avenue and roadside plantation was completely trampled. The saplings were not taken care properly that made them dry and dead in several areas. At several places, roadside plantations were completely trampled due to encroachments. What is the use of taking up such a massive plantation drive without the proper mechanism to safeguard the saplings and making accountable the people officials and the encroachers,” ask Mohammed Zaheeruddin, a community activist?
