Telangana's 'tree man' Daripalli Ramaiah injured in accident

Daripalli Ramaiah, who is a recipient of Padma Shri, fell down while crossing a road on his bicycle to water the plants.

Pic Courtesy: IANS

Hyderabad: Telangana`s greenman Daripalli Ramaiah, who is said to have planted over one crore trees, was injured in a road accident in Khammam district on Wednesday. The 85-year-old man, who is recipient of Padmashri, fell down while crossing a road on his bicycle to water the plants. Locals rushed him to a nearby hospital. According to doctors, he suffered a fracture in a leg and injuries on his head.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP Santosh Kumar spoke to doctors over phone and enquired about Ramaiah`s condition. He directed the hospital authorities to ensure the best possible treatment.

Popular as "Chettu (tree) Ramaiah" or "Vanajeevi (forester) Ramaiah", he received Padmashri in 2017. Ramaiah`s concern for the environment was acknowledged with India`s fourth highest civilian award.

Known for his single-minded devotion to planting saplings, he is claimed to have planted over a crore trees during the last five decades.