The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Massive green cover planned

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Thursday, Jun 19, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Massive green cover planned

Special Correspondent

GHMC to rope in colony associations to develop 100 parks

Saplings will be supplied free of cost
Each park is estimated to cost Rs 20 lakh

HYDERABAD: Now that it has succeeded in identifying 1,500 open spaces, the GHMC wants to develop parks in 100 of them this year. Designs are ready and cost estimates are being prepared, said Additional Commissioner (IT & Parks) Vani Mohan.

Interacting with presspersons here on Wednesday after a meeting with a few representatives of colony welfare associations and non-governmental bodies at the Lotus Pond, Jubilee Hills, she said each park could cost about Rs. 20 lakh and estimates could be prepared in a month.

Unique design

“We hope to have all these parks with a unique design providing varied trees, pathways and water bodies wherever feasible,” she said. Most new parks would be in the suburbs due to lack of space in the central city region.

Land constraints was also the reason to go for colony parks in the erstwhile municipalities. Still, few parks of 5 to 10 acres spread are being proposed in Rajendranagar, Patancheru, Serilingampally and L.B.Nagar. Ms. Mohan claimed that “80 per cent” of the current colony parks were being administered by the residential welfare associations.

“The response has been overwhelming and we are paying Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 to each association towards maintenance of parks,” she said. With regard to the GHMC’s 10 lakh tree plantation programme to be taken up till September end, the official said lead organisations were identified zone and circle wise and it would be soon extended to wards to take up plantation and monitor survival.

Avenues, lanes, colonies, community places, open spaces, parks, institutional spaces et al have been identified for planting six-inch-grown saplings. Pits have been dug up and work to plant them would begin soon with the expectation of monsoon showers.

Call 23224824

Ms. Mohan said saplings would be supplied free of cost to institutions, NGOs and welfare associations. “We will visit plantation sites within a month to monitor and if the work is not satisfactory, we will charge double the sapling cost,” she warned. Interested persons can call 23224824/23220812/ 23220577.

Earlier, some association representatives and NGOs – Chelikani, Rajitha, Raghavendra Rao and others, welcomed the initiative to involve the civic society in the programme.

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