Hyderabad, July 28 - Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman on Saturday accepted the green challenge to plant saplings under Haritha Haram, the massive plantation programme of Telangana government.
In separate tweets, they acceped the challenge by Telangana's Industry and Information Technology Minister K. T. Rama Rao, also attaching the pictures of the saplings they planted.
Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, on Friday had invited the former cricketers and other celebrities to plant the saplings.
Sachin tweeted, "Thank you, @KTRTRS, for nominating me for the green challenge #HarithaHaram. I accept the challenge and hope all of you do too. The key to a greener planet is in our hands."
"The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies. Great initiative @KTRTRS, I have planted pomegranate, water apple & Laxman Phal saplings. I nominate @virendersehwag, @M_Raj03 & @Pvsindhu1A to plant 3 trees, nurture them and make #HarithaHaram a sustainable movement," tweeted Laxman.
US Consul General in Hyderabad, Katherine Hadda also participated in Haritha Haram. She nominated three celebrities including tennis star Sania Mirza.
The fourth phase of Haritha Haram, the flagship programme of the state government, is scheduled to be launched on August 1. It envisages in increasing the green cover in the state from the present 23 percent to 33A percent of the total geographical area.
According to a statement from the minister's office, a total of 80 crore saplings have been planted as against the target of 230 crores in four years.
IANS