Minister for Finance and Civil Supplies Etala Rajender called upon the local bodies’ representatives, especially sarpanches, to play a responsible role for the success of Haritha Haram programme’s mass tree plantation programmes in rural areas. Participating in an programme to raise awareness about the Haritha Haram among representatives in Peddapalli division in Peddapalli town, he said all sections of society must play a crucial role in protecting the environment from pollution by taking up plantation. Expressing concern over the destruction of forests in the name of development, he said planting saplings and protecting them was the only solution to protect Mother Nature and ensure bountiful rain. Collector Neetu Prasad urged the local bodies’ representatives to utilise the NREGS programme for the successful implementation of the Haritha Haram programme. Stating that they have chalked out strategies to plant four crore saplings in the district, she said that they have decided to plant at least 40,000 saplings in each village. She informed the leaders to take up plantation along the minor irrigation tank bund, burial grounds, hillocks and other open places also. ZP chairperson Tula Uma, Peddapalli legislator D. Manohar Reddy, DRDA project director Arunasri, DWMA project director Y. Ganesh, and ZP CEO Suraj Kumar were also present. The Minister expresses concern over destruction of forests in the name of development