A green village hidden by parched hinterland

Suryapet: If you are frazzled and frustrated due to prolonged work hours and maddening crowd in the megalopolis, it may be time for you to unwind. If it is a long ride to a village surrounded by greenery, then there is nothing like it! If you are wondering where you can find such a surreal village, well, answer is, it is nearby.

Annarigudem in Mothey mandal of Nalgonda district is literally a green village. A huge banyan tree bearing prop roots at the entrance of the village welcomes you to a land of lush green wealth. Every house in the village possesses at least one big tree.

Nests of different bird species can be seen on every tree. The green environs of the village provide a picturesque view. A visit to Annarigudem will certainly be a joyful experience for those living in concrete jungles. Gudipudi Subba Rao is the man behind the creation of the green wealth. It is his four-and-half-decades of endeavour which transformed Annarigudem into a village of scenic beauty. He started social forestry in the village way back in 1970.

He motivated his friends and villagers to plant saplings in vacant places and backyards of houses by explaining them the need to increase the green cover in the village to curb pollution. A pioneer in avenue plantation, he got different plant species planted at major junctions in the village to keep it cool even in hot summer. People of Annarigudem are now enjoying the benefits of the social forestry taken up by Subba Rao 45 years ago with a foresight.

Narrating his green initiative to The Hans India, Subba Rao said, “Social forestry should be promoted in a big way to curb environmental pollution. It is the duty of every individual in the society to protect the Mother Earth. Every youth should plant at least three saplings and nourish them well to increase the green cover. They should also get it done by their friends to ensure the success of the green campaign.

The social forestry programme taken up by the government in the new millennium will yield desired results when only people are involved in it.” He is of the view that a revolutionary change in environmental protection can be brought about if the government officials motivate people who approach them seeking redressal of their grievances, to take up social forestry.