Surprise visits to check green drive from Monday: CM

With the flagship Green Drive was going on in full swing across the state and about 12 crore saplings planted so far against the target of 46 crore, the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was planning to make surprise visits to districts from Monday to check the drive and focus on protecting the saplings planted.

Participation and coordination of the ministers, MLAs and officials will reflect in the outcome of the green drive, he said and asked them to avoid comments that saplings are getting dried up due to lack of water and negligence. “Let us not relent until the last sapling is planted on a war-footing to reach the target” he said. He said that the government is assessing their efficiency to make the program a huge success. The aim of Haritha Haram was to transform the state into a green corridor, he noted at a review meeting at camp office along with Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao, Chief Secretary Dr Rajiv Sharma and other officials.

KCR directed that the ministers should stay put in the districts to implement plans to protect the saplings and send daily reports to Rajiv Sharma, he said. He rang up to some of the district in charge ministers and sought to know about the green drive and said that Rs 1500 cr is ready for further action as part of expansion of the green drive. The people and farmers are happy to see rise in rainfall and asked the farmers to make use of this opportunity for expanding the green cover to 33 per cent, he said.

The Fire engines and water tankers should be pressed in to water the plants besides distributing phone sets to drivers of the fire engines to attend fire accidents to supply waters to the saplings planted for protection at district, constituency, division, municipality and village panchayat levels. (NSS)