more-in The Telangana Forest department has initiated steps to develop forest blocks spread over GHMC and HMDA areas, and turn them into the much-needed lung space for people. As per instructions of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the department has identified 194 forest blocks within the limits of the GHMC and HMDA for development. Already, the department is making efforts to develop forest blocks into urban parks under the Telanganaku Haritha Haaram programme, which would be continued. Around the city, Sanjeevani Vanam at Gurramguda, Panchavati Park at Domnair, Bhagyanagar Nandanavanam and Shantivanam at Medipally, Oxygen Park at Kandlakoya and Prashantivanam at Dulapally are some examples of the parks completed and opened to the public. “We are developing the blocks in three categories, namely, urban parks, eco-tourism spots, and conservation blocks,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests P. K. Jha said. The urban parks were being developed close to cities, municipalities, and nagar panchayats so as to provide breathing space to citizens. They would be demarcated by using see-through fences, and would have visitors’ facilities such as walkways, cycling tracks, watch-towers, gazebos, open gyms, and recreational facilities such as children’s area. Officials were as yet studying the locations that were to be developed into eco-tourism spots based on the terrain and environmental features. “If a block is endowed with good rock formations, we can develop the spot into adventure sport with rock climbing facilities. We are also identifying blocks that have water bodies,” Mr. Jha said. The remaining blocks, after demarcation of urban parks and eco-tourism spots, would be developed for conservation, by digging up trenches around them, and growing thorny plants on the bunds. The exercise was being taken up to protect urban forest blocks from encroachment, Mr. Jha said.

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