Protection of forests not an option, but a collective responsibility, says Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment, Forest and Science & Technology K. Pawan Kalyan called for efforts to protect the forests for a sustainable future on the occasion of the International Day of Forests on March 21.

In a message on X, Mr. Pawan Kalyan stated that forests were the lungs of Mother Earth and the source of rivers and biodiversity, and protecting them was nothing but protecting the existence of human beings. He observed that the protection of forests was not an option, but a collective responsibility.

“With a strong commitment to increasing the green cover to 50%, Andhra Pradesh is taking decisive steps like Vana Mahotsavam and the Great Green Wall towards a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future,” he noted.

Great Green Wall

The Great Green Wall of Andhra Pradesh is an initiative designed to serve as a living ecological shield along the coast, the first-of-its-kind project intended to provide a strategic, nature-based solution to protect over three million-plus vulnerable coastal population, while promoting biodiversity, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

The green wall comprises a multi-layered green buffer of mangroves, shelterbelt plantations, and inland vegetation.

These “living structures” will reduce the impact of cyclones and storm surges, stabilise shorelines, and enhance livelihoods through eco-tourism, sustainable fisheries, and carbon credit generation.