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Speed up Great Green Wall project works: Deputy Chief Minister

Speed up Great Green Wall project works: Deputy Chief Minister

Panthagani Anusha
January 7, 2026

The Andhra Pradesh government has directed officials to fast-track the implementation of the ambitious “Great Green Wall of Andhra Pradesh” project, aimed at protecting the state’s long coastline from natural disasters. Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Forests and Environment Pawan Kalyan issued the instructions during a detailed review meeting with senior forest department officials at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Tuesday.

The project focuses on increasing green cover and safeguarding the coastline by planting salt-tolerant species such as palm trees and other native plants along the shore. The Deputy Chief Minister explained that these plantations are not merely for aesthetic purposes but will act as a natural barrier, reducing the impact of strong sea waves and preventing coastal erosion.

Looking ahead, Pawan Kalyan said the state should aim to achieve 50 per cent green cover across Andhra Pradesh by 2047. He stressed the need to protect existing forest areas while reclaiming vacant forest lands from encroachments and undertaking large-scale plantation drives in a mission mode. He described forest wealth as national wealth and said its protection is a shared responsibility.

During the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the challenges faced in implementing the project, fund utilisation, and the performance of various departments. He called for a stronger focus on environmental benefits and biodiversity conservation, noting that the project’s success depends on active public participation. Officials were instructed to accelerate work at the field level to ensure timely progress.

Senior officials, including Special Chief Secretary (Forests and Environment) Kantilal Dande, Government Adviser Mallikarjuna Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Chalapathi Rao, Additional PCCF Shanthi Priya Pandey, and others, attended the review meeting. Officials assured the Minister that the next phase of the project would be implemented in line with his directions.