Hyderabad: The absence of any dedicated allocation for environment in the Telangana state budget has left environmentalists concerned at critical issues such as air and water pollution, urban flooding, and protection of green cover being largely overlooked.Apart from some allocation towards renewable energy under the energy sector and a brief mention of relocating industries beyond city limits, experts said there is little clarity on environmental priorities.Activists pointed out that key areas such as climate resilience, lake rejuvenation, and waste management have not received focused funding. “There is a clear gap between policy intent and budgetary commitment. Without dedicated funds, these remain only on paper,” said B Subba Rao, an environmentalist who has worked on various issues including lake rejuvenation in last three decadesThese concerns are sharper in view of the state’s own lofty long-term goals. Telangana’s Vision 2047 document identifies environment and sustainability as core pillars, aiming for a net-zero, climate-resilient state with up to 50% green cover, alongside restoration of degraded forests and creation of urban carbon sinks.“On the one hand, the govt speaks about net-zero and expanding green cover, but on the other, there is virtually no direct allocation towards environment in this budget. It raises serious questions about implementation,” said Uday Krishna, founder of Vata Foundation, an environmental organisation.Experts warn that the lack of financial backing could slow down efforts to tackle climate change and urban ecological stress. “Ignoring environmental investments now will only increase long-term public health and sustainability risks,” Krishna said, adding that less than 1% direct spending on environment is inadequate to meet the state’s ambitious targets.
