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CM to rate MLAs on survival of saplings planted during Haritha Haram

The survival rate of saplings in Haritha Haram in their Assembly constituencies would be one of the parameters on which the performance of TRS legislators will be assessed.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has been ordering periodic surveys to rate the performance of legislators over the past year. Some of the earlier surveys ranked MLAs on their success in ensuring that welfare schemes reached the beneficiaries and the percentage of voters satisfied with their functioning.

The earlier surveys focused on the implementation of `1-per-kg rice scheme, social security pensions, 2BHK scheme for poor, condition of government schools, colleges and hospitals.

The idea to include Haritha Haram as one of the parameters came following reports from various districts of saplings not surviving even for a day.

A sapling that was planted by Armoor MLA A. Jeevan Reddy in the morning on July 12 vanishing by the evening, causing huge embarassment to the government.

Similar incidents were reported from Ranga Reddy, Karimnagar and Medak districts where MLAs planted saplings and had photographs taken but failed to ensure the erection of tree fences or deploying “green brigades”, an idea suggested by Mr Rao.

Following this, the CM is learnt to have decided to include Haritha Haram in the surveys so that legislators take the plantation programme seriously and ensure conservation of plants.

The government claims that the survival rate of saplings planted in the previous two phases of Haritha Haram was nearly 50 per cent, ground reports show that it was not even 30 per cent.

Mr Rao is keen on the survival of the saplings, instead of focusing on plantation numbers. In Karimnagar on Wednesday, he gave a call to nurture saplings like kids.