The Green Initiatives
Narayanpet Is the newly formed District of Telangana, Its status as district came in to force from 17.02.2019 onwards. The geographical area of the District 2,336 Sq.KM /5, 77,238 Acres and Forest Area is only 84.619 Sq.KM/20,910 Acres with 5 (Five) Forest Blocks.
Out of this Notified Forest area of 20,910 cares 10,348 Acres completely barren 0 to 0.1 density of Forest cover 8,283 Acres is with 0.1 to 0.4 density of Forest Cover only 136.15 Acres is 0.4 to 0.7 density of Forest Cover and Nil for 1 density.
The percentage of Notified Forests in the Total Geographical Area is only 3.6% and truly actual tree cover is only 1.458% with respective to Density.
The Forest Policy of India 1952 suggested that the Forest Cover for any Geographical Area should be 33%.
The Government of Telangana taken a massive planting initiative on the name of Telanganaku Haritha Haram since 3rd July 2015 and during last seven phases the overall Telangana Forest Cover increased by 6%. This is the great achievement by the Government of Telangana within a span of 7 years. The present Planting works are attended on Forest Areas by the Forest Department and Outside Forest Ares by the District Administrations. Remarkably the State of Telangana amended the Panchayath Raj Act -2018 also and made it mandatory to raise good nurseries and carryout subsequent planting programmes.
The Narayanpet District should have 1, 90,488 Acres as Forest out of its total geographical area of 5, 77,238 Acres to reach the 33%. But as such it is not possible due to the lands belongs to private property. Therefore the focus of developing tree cover is on Outside Forests only. The outside Forests Tree growth activities include Avenue plantations, Canal Bund Plantations, Plantations all along the Railway tracks, Institutional Planting, Waste lands to be developed as Forests and Village community Lands Etc. On an on average 450 plants per acre means to plant 1, 90,488 Acres a total of 8, 57, 19,600 plants should be planted.
If we calculate the same number from the District inception that is from 2019, the number of plants planted 80, 00,000 with 84% survival. Therefore it can be understand that we reached less than 10% our target of 8, 57, 19,600 plants. If we will go with similar fashion it will take almost another 22 Years to reach our goal of 33% Forest Cover /Tree cover.
Forest Species need caring at least first 3-4 years. Once they get established they can survive on their own. Any successful panting Program requires four components
i) Good Planting Stock /Seedlings/Saplings
ii) Area to Planted
iii) Skilled Manpower
iv) Water
On an average for raising a successful nursery with minimum facilities for 10,00, 000 Tall plants planting stock requires a minimum cost of 40 million + 100 million every year, apart from Manpower and Land cost.
The raising of good planting stock is a continuous process with continuous funds support, then only it can be achieved.
All the stake holders from the Government side putting their sincere efforts to reach the targets and welcome any such support provided by the Private agencies, Institutes, Corporate sector definitely it will boost the existing Mechanism. Always such initiatives are welcomed.
