FM underlines need for greenery

Eatala Rajender expresses concern over loss of natural habitats

Hyderabad: Finance Minister Eatala Rajender on Friday expressed concern over the extinction of natural habitats, animals, cattle and birds. Speaking on World Environment Day here, the Finance Minister expressed concern over destruction of natural environment, animals and birds in the name of development.

He attributed the straying of wild animals into the concrete jungle to the lack of green space for them in the woods. As much of the forest land was being deprived of green cover due to various reasons, the wild animals were barging into villages and towns, he said. To attract rains and to ensure increase of groundwater table, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government was giving priority to Haritha Haaram programme to plant saplings across the State.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had taken up the flagship programme of greenery to attract abundant rains, he said. Rajender also said the greenery would help increase the groundwater level and fill lakes to distribute waters to irrigate crops in the rural areas. He appealed to the people to plant saplings to protect the environment.

He also said the greenery would ensure that all the villages, towns and cities got adequate rainfall by spreading greenery through planting of saplings. It was planned to plant some three crore saplings in the State in the near future, he said. Aimed at the welfare of the people, the government was taking up a number of schemes, he added. “Development of the State is our objective and addressing the needs of the people is our priority,” Rajender averred.