Ramaiah, the man who holds the record of planting more than a crore trees single handedly, was admitted to a Hyderabad hospital after suffering heart attack.
Ramaiah, who is known popularly as “Vanajeevi” (forest man), was recently awarded nation’s civilian award “Padma Shri” for his unparalleled contribution in environmental conservation in Khammam district. He is under going treatment at the Care Hospital.
Minister for Road and buildings Tummala Nageshwara Rao visited the hospital on Tuesday and enquire about his his health. A team of doctor headed by renowned cardiologist Dr B Sonaraju was attending on Ramaih. Doctors described his condition as stable.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has announced that all the expenses of his medical care will be borne by the state government. Top officials of the state health department were coordinating with the Care Hospital.
The 71-year-old Ramaiah was leading the afforestation programme in and around Khammam by example and has personally planted millions of trees of different types taking a green cover to anew high. Riding a bicycle from place to place the frail man has been laying the seeds and planting the trees. Such is his passion for his mission that even in hospital bed he is lying with a an iron plate hanging around his neck. It says, “Vriksho Rakhshati Rakshitaha” (Save Trees, they will save you).