Green University: 220-acre Oxygen park comes up at Osmania University

Hyderabad: A 220-acre Oxygen ark was inaugurated at the Osmania University campus in Hyderabad on Friday. The park is set up under the aegis of Hyderabad Metro Development Authority (HMDA) and is part of the Telangana government's Haritha Haram programme.

The oxygen park houses over 200 different kinds of medicinal plants and trees and is a safe haven for about 1,000 peafowls. It also protects flora and fauna and in turn, renders the Osmania University campus a place for biodiversity. "Osmania University is facilitating a healthy environment not only to its primary stakeholders but also to citizens of Hyderabad, especially those living in the vicinity of the campus," said J. Santhosh Kumar, TRS Rajya Sabha MP. He was speaking at Osmania University while inaugurating the park.

Further, the V-C spoke to Santhosh Kumar about the development of Momin Cheruvu and the creation of certain basic facilities. The MP urged the V-C to approach him with a detailed project report about the various developmental activities that the V-C wishes to take up in the university.The OU campus has got a fillip through a large-scale plantation taken up in the past two years by special chief secretary Aravind Kumar, commissioner of HMDA, and the then in-charge Vice-Chancellor. Owing to various green activities undertaken by the university, OU has been awarded the Green University award both nationally and regionally by various agencies.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. D. Ravinder, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the university administration is taking necessary steps to ensure that campus greenery is protected and maintained. He also expressed his happiness that this park was inaugurated by Santhosh Kumar. He said the park will be available to walkers, students, and the general public. He added that in order to maintain and protect the biodiversity of the campus, the general public and walkers have been restricted and are allowed on the campus for a stipulated period of time in the mornings and evenings.Commemorating the occasion, Friday being the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, V-C Prof. D. Ravinder, the Registrar, and the OSD to VC undertook the plantation activity. The programme was attended by Prof. P. Laxminarayana, Registrar, Prof. B. Reddy Naik, OSD to VC, deans, principals, directors, faculty members, non-teaching staff, scholars, students, alumni, and walkers.