Senior forest officer Avula Chandrasekhar, CEO of the Andhra Pradesh Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Board, received a prestigious award during World Wildlife Day celebrations held in Mangalagiri on March 3. The honor was presented by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan at a formal event attended by Forest and Environment officials. The program highlighted this year’s World Wildlife Day theme declared by the United Nations, focusing on medicinal and aromatic plants and their role in promoting health, heritage, and livelihoods.

On the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister launched the “Hanuman” Foundation project aimed at reducing human–wildlife conflict across the state. The initiative includes GPS tracking systems, 100 rescue vehicles for the Forest Department, 19 emergency response teams, and seven treatment and rehabilitation centers. He stated that the project is designed to prevent crop and life losses caused by wildlife and ensure swift response and compensation. Financial relief has been provided to victims of wildlife attacks, and measures such as bringing trained kumki elephants from Karnataka have been implemented to manage wild elephant movement. The event was attended by senior forest officials and other dignitaries who were also recognized for their contributions to wildlife conservation.