Minister For Higher Education D Sridhar Babu on Monday stated that the state government was considering to make planting of saplings mandatory for the students of universities and colleges.
Inaugurating the sapling plantation drive under 'Nava Vana Udyamam' at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University campus, Kukatpally, Sridhar Babu said that the government was considering a proposal to make planting of 5 or 6 saplings by each student mandatory during their course.
However, the modalities for implementing the program were yet to be drafted, Babu stated.
The minister said that the state government was taking all the necessary steps to control pollution levels.
Reacting on the release of scholarships to students, the minister said that the government had introduced an online system which facilitated the deposit of scholarship amounts directly into their bank accounts.
Minister For Forests And Environment Peddireddy Ramachnadra Reddy said that sapling plantation was being taken up in a massive way to ensure biomass production, and for environmental preservation. Stating that totally 26.52% of the area was under forest cover, he expressed confidence that the state would achieve 33% forest coverage targetted in the National Forest Policy.
Reddy said that 17,000 seedlings per gram panchayat per year would be raised for the next 3 years, and 30 crore seedlings were expected to be raised for the next 3 years. JNTU Vice Chancellor Prof. D N Reddy said that the university had decided to develop green belt in 10% the of total university area.
The minister urged the government to allocate additional 100 acres of land to JNTU. Kukatpally MLA Dr. Jayaprakash Narayana was also present.
Courtesy: INN
filed in:AP Pollution Control Board, Pollution, Sridhar Babu