Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will kick off the Vanamahotsavam event on Monday at Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU). The Forest Department is organizing the event, and many students, forest enthusiasts, volunteers, and local residents are expected to join.
On Sunday, PJTAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Aldas Janaiah spoke to the media. He shared that the university has long hosted eucalyptus and subabul trees. Now, they plan to replace them with rare and traditional wild fruit trees. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) will support this by planting these new trees to improve the greenery.
The state government has chosen the university as the site for the Vanamahotsavam launch. During the event, rare tree varieties like Jitregi, Bandaru, Somi, Karaka, Tani, Yegisa, Battakadima, Buddarimi, and Punigu will be planted. These trees are seldom found in Telangana’s forests.
Professor Janaiah highlighted that trees like subabul and eucalyptus, planted decades ago, harm the environment. The removal process has been underway for a month, managed by ITC. He urged the public to ignore false rumors and narratives about Vanamahotsavam circulating on social media. He asked especially the youth and tree enthusiasts not to be swayed by misinformation.
He also mentioned that the botanical garden suffered neglect over the past 15 years due to these harmful trees. It had to close down because of the dominance of subabul and eucalyptus. After their removal, HMDA has begun planting beneficial saplings, including fruit trees. This effort is part of a larger plan to clear harmful trees and promote a healthier ecological environment.
