Hyderabad: Telangana Forests, Environmental & Endowments Minister Konda Surekha today released the poster for the National Students Paryavaran Competition, marking the start of a 50-day environmental awareness campaign at her residence in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Minister Surekha emphasized the need for students to adopt eco-friendly habits and play an active role in protecting the environment.
Tie Rakhi To Trees Under Vriksha Rakshabandhan
As part of the competition, students will begin with tree plantation – each child will plant and care for one tree, take a Tree Protection Pledge, and even tie rakhi to trees under Vriksha Rakshabandhan. Trees can be planted in memory of elders or freedom fighters.
Students will also learn waste segregation by separating wet, dry, plastic, and e-waste at home and school. Activities like Zero Waste Lunch, compost pits, and a Swachhata Corner in classrooms will be promoted.
Children Encouraged In Many Ways
Children will be encouraged to reduce plastic use, recycle old items, and participate in Recycle Stores and Swap Shops. To save water, students will take a Water Pledge, learn to fix leaks, practice drip irrigation, reuse water, and maintain rainwater harvesting pits. Each student will monitor one water tap.
Minister Konda Surekha urged all students to actively participate and make the state a leader in environment education by focusing on trees, waste, and water management.
Vanamahotsavam Should Be Taken Up with a Targeted and Coordinated Approach
Environment, Forests and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha has emphasized the need for a focused and well-coordinated strategy to implement the Vanamahotsavam programme effectively across Telangana.
Speaking during a video conference chaired by Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao with district collectors, the Minister highlighted the importance of identifying vacant government and community lands to carry out large-scale plantations.
Minister Surekha stressed that a target-based approach must be adopted, and every department should actively participate in making the plantation drive a success. She said that identifying suitable land in advance would ensure smooth execution of plantation activities, especially during the monsoon season.
Strategize Vanamahotsavam Action Plan
Minister Konda Surekha directed district collectors to immediately convene District Level Monitoring and Consultative Committee meetings, in coordination with all line departments, to chalk out the Vanamahotsavam action plan.
She also underlined the need for quality seedlings to be prepared beforehand, with priority given to planting fruit-bearing species that benefit both the environment and local communities.
In addition to plantation activities, Minister Surekha instructed district officials to regularly monitor the survival rate of planted saplings, and to ensure post-plantation care, including watering and protection measures.
The video conference, presided over by Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, included a comprehensive review of several ongoing state programmes, including the Vanamahotsavam, Indiramma Housing Scheme, Fertilizer Availability, Oil Palm Expansion, Bhu Bharathi digitization initiative, Seasonal Disease Preparedness, TB Mukt Bharat Mission, and infrastructure development for new medical colleges.
Senior officials from the departments of Revenue, Housing, Health, Agriculture, and Forests took part in the meeting. Also present were Principal Secretary (EFS&T) Shri Nadeem Ahmed, Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) Smt Christina Z Chongthu, Secretary (Revenue) Shri Lokesh Kumar, PCCF and other senior officials.
Minister Smt Konda Surekha concluded by reiterating that Vanamahotsavam should not just be a plantation event but a people’s movement for green Telangana, requiring the joint efforts of officials, institutions, and citizens.