Hyderabad: Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday released the 2022 City Biodiversity Index of Hyderabad where the city moved up by 21 more marks from the last index in 2012.
A total of 92 marks are allotted for 23 biodiversity indicators. Hyderabad secured 57 out of 92 marks in the latest index prepared by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). The city received only 36 out of 92 marks in 2012.
Minister KTR said, “Biodiversity is a crucial aspect in the process of becoming a world-class city. Haritha Haaram, conservation of lakes, increasing forest cover, improving urban lung spaces helped improving biodiversity. Along with the city, biodiversity in localities around it too will improve”.
Earlier, Hyderabad’s first City Biodiversity Index was done in 2012 (COP11 meeting) followed by Kolkata in 2017. Hyderabad registered itself again becoming the first city to create the Biodiversity Index for the second time.
KTR stated that the implementation of Haritha Haram by the Telangana government was aimed at enhancing biodiversity in all municipalities.
“A green budget has been allocated for various programs such as Pattana Prakruthi Vanalu and Nurseries, which aim to increase the green cover,” he added.
KTR said that Hyderabad and other towns have received many awards and accolades for their impressive green cover and biodiversity initiatives implemented across the State.
The MA&UD minister directed the officials to develop a five-year action plan to enhance biodiversity and organise World Environment Day on a large scale and raise awareness among the public about ways to improve biodiversity.
He said that Haritha Awards would be presented to the best-performing municipality and the officials that contribute towards increasing the green cover.
Hyderabad currently has 1,350 water bodies spread over 2000 hectares. It also has important rock formations which cover an area of 1,600 hectares. KBR national park and Mahavir Harina Vanasthali national park in the city contribute significantly to biodiversity in the city.
The University of Hyderabad, Osmania University and ICRISAT campuses in the city host wide species of diversity. Protection of the natural biodiversity in the city led to improved ranks in the latest index, said a press release on Tuesday.
According to the report, there are 1305 species of plants of which 577 were native. The city is home to 30 species of odonates, 141 species of butterflies, 42 species of spiders, 60 species of fish, 16 amphibian species, 41 reptile species, 315 bird species and 58 mammalian species.
City Biodiversity Index called the ‘Singapore Index’ is the only index designed specifically for monitoring and evaluating biodiversity in cities.
The index is prepared based on 23 various biodiversity indicators such as ongoing biodiversity conservation efforts, support extended by the local government in this direction, and measures conceived for the enhancement of biodiversity.
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