Latest news with #AldasJanaiah
Hans India
07-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
CM to inaugurate Vana Mahotsavam in PJTAU today
Hyderabad: ChiefMinister A Revanth Reddy will inaugurate Vanamahotsavam on Monday at Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU). The program is being organized by the Forest Department, with students from the university, forest lovers, volunteers, and local residents expected to participate in large numbers. Addressing the media on Sunday, PJTAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Aldas Janaiah, said that the university has been home to eucalyptus and subabul varieties of trees for decades. In their place, it has been decided to plant rare varieties of trees and traditional wild fruit trees on the campus. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has committed to adopting measures to enhance greenery by planting these trees, he added. He said the state government has chosen to launch Vanamahotsavam within the university. As part of this initiative, rare varieties of trees such as Jitregi, Bandaru, Somi, Karaka, Tani, Yegisa, Battakadima, Buddarimi, and Punigu, which are rarely found in Telangana's forest areas, will be planted during the program. He emphasized that decades ago, environmentally harmful trees like subabul and eucalyptus were planted. The auction process for tree removal has been ongoing for the past month and is managed by ITC. The Vice Chancellor urged people not to believe rumors being spread by some individuals about Vanamahotsavam and the false narratives circulating on social media. He reiterated that such claims are untrue and appealed to the public, especially the youth and tree lovers, not to be carried away by misinformation. He noted that the botanical garden, which had been a source of pride, had suffered neglect over the past 15 years. It had to be closed because trees like subabul and eucalyptus, which are detrimental to the environment, occupied the space. Following the removal of these trees, the HMDA has initiated the planting of saplings of fruit and other beneficial trees. This is part of their broader strategy to clear eucalyptus and subabul trees, ensuring a healthier ecological environment, he noted.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Students allege felling of trees at Agri Varsity, but VC says invasive weeds cleared
Tension prevailed on the Prof. Jayashankar Telangana Agriculture University (PJTAU) campus around midnight on Saturday, as students alleged razing of several acres using earthmovers. The student-shot videos, with their voice and descriptions, circulated on social media showed the clearing of land near the botanical garden on the campus. They alleged that the native plant biodiversity was being removed, reportedly for the 'Vana Mahotsavam' or tree-planting festival of the State government. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy along with other Ministers, it was said, will participate in the programme to be held on Monday. As reports of alleged tree axing and clearing of vegetation began to be circuated, PJTAU Vice Chancellor Aldas Janaiah, confirming Mr. Reddy's participation, released a clarification on the ongoing works. In the note, he said that the campus is filled with invasive weeds such as Lantana, parthenium and Prospsis julioflora or sarkar thumma, besides profuse growth of eucalyptus, subabul – together leaving no space for native tree species. 'The massive plantation drive on Monday, by clearing the areas with these trees and weeds, is to revive the traditional native plants. Around 30 native timber, wild fruit, and wildflower-bearing tree species and other bamboo varieties are being planted to revive the botanical garden,' the note said. Additionally, 'About 150 acres with old eucalyptus and subabul will also be removed to make space for valuable timber-yielding varieties. The work has already begun, and ITC Limited, as per the tender awarded, will go on till next month. This area too will be used for Vana Mahotsavam,' he added. As per the survey and enumeration of trees carried out by Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority-Urban Forestry wing in January 2025, the campus was divided into four blocks and it suggested the removal of 3,521 trees with intimation to the DFO, 114 trees to be removed with permission of Forest Department, and to retain 869 trees. Of them, 521 are eucalyptus trees and 3000 are subabul trees. The same was approved for auction, along with terms and condition for open auction, as per Director (Research) M. Balaram's order, dated May 7. The students who opposed the midnight works and seen in the exchange with the police, post clarifications from the university and the officials on Sunday, said they welcome the decision to improve the botanical garden as a 'natural resource unit'.
Hans India
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Hyderabad agriculture university issues clarification after tree cutting allegations
Tree felling on the campus of the Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University here ahead of the launch of the plantation programme by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy sparked a row, but the university authorities clarified that trees harmful to the environment are being removed as part of the ongoing drive to make space for new and valuable plantations. A section of students alleged that earthmovers were deployed on Saturday night to fell trees on campus in preparation for Vana Mahotsavam, a plantation programme scheduled by launched by the Chief Minister on Monday. Videos of students questioning police officials and pointing to the presence of heavy machinery were shared on social media. The students questioned the removal of existing trees to plant new ones. The university authorities, however, termed the reports on social media as "false" and "misleading". PJTAU Vice-Chancellor Prof Aldas Janaiah clarified removal of subabul and eucalyptus trees in 150 acres as part of the greenery development initiative on the campus was taken up by the university through a formal auction process, awarded to ITC. He said in a statement that these tree species have been found to harm the environment by depleting groundwater and damaging soil health. He clarified that the removal of these trees is part of a programme that has been ongoing for the past month, and appealed to people and environmentalists not to believe the false news on social media. In May, the university had approved the auctioning of 521 eucalyptus and 3,000 subabul trees present on four different blocks on the campus. As part of the university's ongoing greenery development efforts, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has initiated a project to remove environmentally harmful tree species such as subabul and eucalyptus from the university campus. These trees, planted decades ago, were found to be contributing to groundwater depletion and land degradation. The Vice-Chancellor stated that in the place of these trees, rare and traditional forest species native to Telangana will be introduced on a large scale. He clarified that the initiative is based on ecological reasoning and long-term sustainability goals. He noted that the university's Botanical Garden, once a key feature of the campus, had been in decline for over 15 years due to the uncontrolled growth of subabul and eucalyptus. He also mentioned that the campus is filled with invasive weeds like lantana, parthenium, prosophis juliflora (Sarkar thumma), etc, causing severe environmental damage to the campus. In the coming days, eucalyptus and subabul trees on 150 acres will be removed to make space for planting valuable varieties as part of the Vana Mahotsavam. Around 30 native timber, wild fruit and wild flower bearing tree species, along with a wide variety of Bamboo varieties, are being planted to revive and rejuvenate the Botanical Garden. The Vana Mahotsavam, organised by the Forest Department, will be attended by students, volunteers, forest enthusiasts, and the local community, the Vice-Chancellor added.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Digitising farming: Telangana to launch India's first agri-robotics lab at PJTAU today
HYDERABAD: In a first for the country, Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU) is set to launch the Agri Robotics IoT Solutions for Agriculture (ARISA) Lab on Saturday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Supported by BITS Pilani and IIT Hyderabad, the initiative marks a major step toward digitising agriculture in Telangana. The university aims to unveil its first robotic model within a year - designed specifically to assist in weeding and harvesting tasks. University officials highlighted a growing concern: The average age of farmers in the state is now around 60, and the younger generation is showing less interest in agriculture. With the prospect of a labour shortage looming, there's an urgent need to make farming more efficient and less labour-intensive. The ARISA Lab will focus not only on robotics but also on Internet of Things (IoT) innovations, pesticide control, and weed management technologies. Speaking about the initiative, vice-chancellor Aldas Janaiah said, "In the coming years, fewer people may be willing to work in agriculture, so we must develop advanced tools. The robotics lab will function under our newly established Centre for Digital Agriculture. The State Bank of India has sanctioned ₹12 crore for this initiative. We plan to roll out a customised robot model within a year that can handle weeding and harvesting. " He said the long-term vision is to digitally transform agriculture in Telangana by 2047. Apart from the ARISA Lab, the centre will house three other advanced labs aimed at developing AI-based solutions to tackle key agricultural challenges. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now One such unit is a drone lab, working in partnership with the Telangana Drone Academy to train farmers in drone operations. A third lab has started piloting digital solutions in Vemulawada. According to officials, smart soil sensors deployed there can generate instant reports on soil nutrient levels - functioning like an ATM dispensing data. "Understanding soil nutrition is crucial for choosing the right cropping patterns and ensuring better yields," an official explained. The same lab is also developing sensor-based systems for pesticide and water management, with alerts that can warn farmers of pest threats in advance. Technical and financial backing for this effort is being provided by Germany.
Hans India
26-05-2025
- Science
- Hans India
‘Scientists at Farmers Doorstep' initiative receiving unprecedented response: PJTAU V-C
Hyderabad: The innovative programme 'Scientists at the Farmers Doorstep', organised by Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University (PJTAU) in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, is progressing smoothly and successfully across the state. The programme was launched on May 5 in Dharur village of Vikarabad district, by Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Chairman of the Farmers Welfare Commission M Kodanda Reddy, and PJTAU Vice-Chancellor Dr Aldas Janaiah. As of date, the programme has been conducted in 600 villages, with around 31,000 men and 6,000 women participating. Scientists and agricultural students have interacted face-to-face with a total of 37,000 farmers. The programme witnessed participation from various dignitaries, including Nagar Kurnool MP Dr Mallu Ravi, State Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Dr G. Chinna Reddy, members of the Farmer Welfare Commission, MLCs, around 25 MLAs, and other public representatives. Scientists and agricultural students, along with university officials, are actively participating in the programme, which will continue till June 13. The programme focuses on six key aspects: Reducing urea usage to minimise cultivation costs; Using chemicals judiciously to preserve soil health; Maintaining receipts for input purchases; Conservation of irrigation water; Adopting crop rotation for sustainable income and planting trees to protect the environment. Scientists are also addressing farmers' queries and doubts during the programme. Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor, Aldas Janaiah, conducted a high-level review of the 'Scientists at the Farmers Doorstep' programme, which has been completed in three weeks. During the review, the Vice-Chancellor mentioned that the programme has received a positive response from the farming community. Janaiah clarified that farmers are not dissatisfied with the government's initiatives and current agricultural situation. However, farmers are concerned about changing climate conditions and unseasonal rains. He added that farmers are seeking government support for certain agricultural aspects. Specifically, farmers are requesting the Telangana government to introduce crop insurance to mitigate losses due to adverse climate conditions. They also want small and marginal farmers to be provided with modern agricultural tools and green manure seeds at subsidised rates. Additionally, farmers are seeking extensive soil testing. The Vice-Chancellor appealed to farmers, women, farmer groups, school students, and teachers to participate in the programme and make it a social movement. He encouraged everyone to come forward and take the programme to the next level, fostering a sense of community and cooperation.
