Botanical garden first phase inaugurated

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG.4 The 27-acre first phase of the 120-acre Hyderabad Botanical Garden, established in Kothaguda Reserve Forest, near Hitec City, jointly by the State Forest and Tourism departments, both as eco-tourism project and for growing plants for scientific, educational and aesthetic purposes, was inaugurated on Saturday.

Mr.V.P.Jauhari, Principal Secretary, Forests, Mrs. Chandana Khan, Secretary, Tourism, Mr.K.Subba Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, and Mr.S.K.Das, Vice-chairman and Managing Director, AP Forest Development Corporation, attended the inauguration.

Mrs.Khan said the department had signed an MoU with a Hyderabad- based firm for private participation in eco-tourism projects. Mr. Jauhari stated that a night safari park was being planned. The details were being worked out. Discussions were on for private participation in the park.

The Tourism department has spent over Rs. 1 crore for the first phase of the eco-tourism project, which is expected to cost Rs.8.6 crore. It is to be completed in three years beginning 2000-2001. The garden will have 19 sectors or vanams. Five of the sectors--aquatic, bamboo, palm, ornamental garden and rock pool-- were handed over today to the Forest Development Corporation.

Objectives of the garden include bringing diverse collection of plants from different habitats and establishing a gene bank, creating awareness among people about values of conserving plants, developing garden as a centre for recreation and developing facilities for research, particularly in medicinal plants.

The garden has amenities like parking, cafeteria, ticketing booth, visitor shelter, seating benches, drinking water and toilet. The entry fee is Rs.10 (adult) and Rs.5 (child).

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