Environmental balance can be achieved only through forests: Minister

Metro India News | MULUGU

Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Rural Water Supply, Women and Child Welfare, Danasari Anasuya Seethakka stated that environmental balance can be achieved only through forest protection, and that every individual should voluntarily participate in environmental conservation.

She highlighted that Mulugu district has earned special recognition as a rare district where lakes, forests, spiritual, and hill tourism areas coexist, and that it stands at the forefront in the state with the highest forest cover both in the constituency and the district.

Speaking at the World Environment Day program organized on Friday at the Echo Park in Incherla, Mulugu district, as part of the 99-day Praja Palana Pragati Pranalika, Minister Anasuya Seethakka participated as the chief guest along with Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Kaleshwaram Zone B. Prabhakar IFS. Addressing the gathering, Minister Anasuya Seethakka emphasized that people’s participation is crucial in forest protection.

She called for creating full awareness among villagers at the grassroots level. She suggested forming special committees involving village sarpanches, public representatives, and local youth — similar to Van Suraksha Committees — and entrusting them with forest protection responsibilities to achieve better results. She noted that products made from Mahua (Ippe) flowers have good international recognition and that training is being provided to tribals for promoting Mahua forests and trees.

CCF Prabhakar, speaking on the occasion, said that World Environment Day should not be seen merely as a one-day event but as an occasion to instill a sense of responsibility in every individual towards environmental protection. District Collector Borkhade Hemant Sahadev Rao said that Mulugu district holds a special place in the development of tourism in Telangana. He noted that the presence of lakes, forests, spiritual, and hill tourism resources in one district is a unique feature of Mulugu.

Later, sandalwood saplings were distributed. A cheque of ₹10 lakh was handed over to the family of farmer Venkateshwar Reddy from Devagiripatnam village, who died in a wild boar attack. The Sammakka-Saralamma Memorial Forest poster and the Tadwai Huts tourism promotion poster were unveiled. Drone cameras were also provided to Forest Range Officers to improve forest protection and monitoring.