Hyderabad,  Telangana and Maharashtra Forest Departments on Monday agreed to exchange two lions between the Nagpur Zoo and the Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad.

Two lions of similar breed will be exchanged between the zoos of the two states, it was agreed during a meeting Maharashtra's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests G.S. Sai Prakash had here with his Telangana counterpart R. Shobha and other officials.

The forest officials also discussed movement of tigers across inter-state borders, evacuation of human settlements in the tiger reserves, and setting up of checkposts to curb smuggling.

The officials also discussed the measures taken up in both the states for the protection of vultures.

Sai Prakash praised the Telangana Forest Department for its effective works towards forest conservation along with greenery programme 'Harithaharam'.

The official from Maharashtra wanted to know about success rate of Harithahaharam saplings and its conservation with mutual tie-ups with Panchayat Raj and implementation/amendments under municipal acts and rules.

Targets and of greenery goals and activities undertaken for success of Harithaharam were explained by PCCF, Social Forestry, R.M. Dobriyal through a power point presentation.

Sai Prakash said they were keen to know the guidelines drafted by Municipal and Panchyat Raj Departments and amendments brought to ensure 85 per cent survival rate of planted saplings. Responding to this, Shobha explained the steps taken by the government for the success of Harithaharam in detail.

As part of rural and urban development, every village is permitted to raise a nursery, and a tractor, and a tanker was allotted exclusively, a green budget sanctioned every month, meetings held with officials at all levels, including the panchayat secretary and sarpanch, responsibility fixed for strictly enforcing of plant survival rates, action against negligence, fines over cutting of trees, feeding cattle and continuous monitoring for the protection of forest resources and distribution of six plants for plantation at homes, have yielded good results, she revealed.

Said Prakash said they were planning to implement the techniques and strategies adopted by Telangana for success of their greenery activities.