Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan Launches Aranyaramam, Unveils Green Restoration Initiative In Mangalagiri

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Forests & Environment Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday laid the foundation stone for ‘Aranyaramam’ , a state-of-the-art research, training and monitoring facility for the Forest and Environment departments, at Brahmanandapuram near Mangalagiri.

The proposed complex, to be built near the AIIMS campus at an estimated cost of Rs 24 crore , is envisioned as a central hub for environmental governance, wildlife conservation, research and capacity-building initiatives in the state.

Accompanied by Ministers Nadendla Manohar and Kandula Durgesh, along with senior forest officials, Pawan Kalyan performed the ground-breaking ceremony and reviewed plans for the upcoming facility.

Officials said Aranyaramam will function as a Common Facility Centre , bringing together research, training, conservation programmes and environmental management activities under a single platform. The centre is also expected to serve as the command headquarters for human-wildlife conflict management across Andhra Pradesh.

In addition, it will oversee implementation and monitoring of the state's Great Green Wall programme , while coordinating efforts related to tiger conservation, forest fire prevention, ecosystem restoration, climate resilience, eco-tourism development and digital environmental governance .

Following the foundation ceremony, the Deputy Chief Minister inspected the building model and visited a photo exhibition showcasing wildlife rescue operations undertaken through the H.A.N.U.M.A.N. Foundation . Forest department officials informed him that during 2024 alone, the department successfully carried out 185 wildlife rescue operations and 36 human-wildlife conflict mitigation interventions . Pawan Kalyan commended forest personnel for their dedication and field-level efforts.

Later, he launched ‘Nandanavanam’ , an ambitious ecological restoration initiative aimed at reviving a hill and forest landscape that had been severely degraded by years of unchecked mining activity.

As part of the programme, he planted a native banyan sapling and emphasised the government's commitment to transforming environmentally damaged land into a thriving green ecosystem. He said the project seeks to restore biodiversity, increase green cover and create sustainable natural habitats for future generations.

Pawan Kalyan noted that the broader vision behind the Nandanavanam concept is to promote environmental regeneration across the state and ensure cleaner air, healthier ecosystems and improved natural resources for coming generations.

Senior officials, including Forest and Environment Department Principal Secretary Kantilal Dande, PCCF P.V. Chalapathi Rao, Guntur District Collector Saikant Varma and Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal, attended the programme.