Asia's Second-Largest Banyan Tree is Now Free from Termite

Telangana Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud expressed pleasure over the healthy germination of the 800-year-old Banyan Tree, also known as Pillalamarri at Mahabubnagar, adding that the district administration's efforts had made the tree free from termites.

It is important to mention that the second-largest banyan tree in Asia, spread over 3.5 acres had collapsed after termite infestation in the year 2017. Since then, the district administration has initiated several measures, including spreading the bottles to inject chlorpyrifos through a "saline drip."

All of these measures restored the tree, and it was now turning healthy, the Minister said on Monday while speaking to the media. After spending Rs 30 lakh on junction improvement work, the Minister officially inaugurated the Pillalamarri junction in the town along with Rajya Sabha MP J Santosh Kumar.

The Minister reminded that, as part of the Haritha Haram programme, Self Help Groups in Mahabubnagar association with Green India Challenge recognized a Guinness Record by making 2.08 billion seed balls in just 10 days.

According to Srinivas Goud, “Mahabubnagar is making all efforts to break the record this year.”

MP Santosh Kumar praised the district administration for saving the banyan tree and giving it new life. He sanctioned Rs.2 crore from MP funds for additional tree-related initiatives.

Sharing a few images, the MP tweeted “An amazing day as I visited the great PillalaMarri, 800 years old BanyanTree in Mahabubnagar along with Minister SrinivasGoud garu. Appreciate the efforts of Minister garu, district administration for up keeping the giant tree, which is attracting many tourists”

He also tweeted "Sanctioned Rs.2 crore from my MP Funds for taking up other activities around this mighty BanyanTree, the second largest tree in Asia, which would help conserve this tree in a better manner and to attract more tourists to come to this place."