Hyderabad, India

Photo by GHMC

Sustainability and Resilience

What efforts have been made to reduce the carbon footprint of the initiative?

The HMDA has raised nursery seedlings and plantations in Hyderabad to reduce carbon footprint. The details are as follows:

Under the initiative of the Haritha Haram, 24.63 lakhs trees were planted exclusively in GHMC area by the Corporation from 2016 to 2021. These trees start absorbing carbon dioxide as they start growing.  Further, the green waste arrived from gardening and pruning is properly composted to reduce carbon footprint. The carbon emissions and the pollution levels are minimized by greenery taken up under various components.

How have the anticipated impacts of climate change been considered?

Hyderabad City is one of the mega cities in India. Urbanization, Industrialization and over population led to increased stress on natural environs and green infrastructure. Accordingly, greenery has been developed to balance the environment.

Roadside Avenue plantations are raised in a length of 881.5 km with 37,27,805 seedlings. The seedlings selected are hardy type which resist harsh environment of air pollution, Azadirichta Indica, Pipal reliegiosa, Ficus bengalencies, Tabubea rosea, Spathodia companulata, Tecoma arjentia etc. are planted.

The Urban lung spaces are planted with top canopy tree species, ornamental and medium height flowering plants and flowering shrubs. All species selected are suitable to be raised in existing soil condition and useful for public visiting the area. In colony / street plantations, the species of Avenue, flowering and medicinal plants are planted. Mahogony, Azadirachta Indica, Pongamia pinnata, Night jasmine etc.

In this programme trees were planted to maximum extent.  Care has been taken to include maximum number of native species than exotics.  Broadleaved and native varieties like Azadirachta Indica, Ficus varieties, Terminalia varieties etc., have been included in the plantation programme to maintain the diversity in plant species which are suitable to the area and helping creation of microclimate.

What processes does the initiative include for it to be considerate in its use of soils and other natural resources?

Pitting, planting, use of farmyard manure, watering, application of pesticides and protection are important activities of plantations. Nurseries and greenery lawns-maintained need regular watering. (20) million litres per day recycled water of Urban Discharge are used in nurseries, Plantations raised in Sanjeevaiah park, NTR Gardens, Osmania University Urban lung species
About 500 tonnes of Organic manure (Compost) developed from Urban Solid waste is used for Nurseries and Plantations as a manure.The plantations are taken up in the mother soils without using any imported soils.   The enrichment of existing soil profile is done through adding the farmyard manure and organic compost.  Watering is also done through water tankers by obtaining recycled water from Sewage treatment plants managed by Government of Telangana.