HYDERABAD: Deep inside the Kothaguda reserve forest one can hear an earth mover rumbling tirelessly, as it churns the soil. Across the reserve forest, many patches can be seen with the forest floor completely churned like an agricultural field, uprooted scrubs and bushes piled up.
Telangana State Forest Development Corporation(TSFDC), which is managing the Kothaguda reserve forest, claims that the operation they are undertaking is essential for effective conservation and maintaining the forest green. However, some environmentalists from the city are up in arms against the move of TSFDC.
Environmentalist from the city, Prof Purushottam Reddy, said, “Although the Kothaguda reserve forest falls under TSFDC, it has no right to destroy the basic structure of forest. Breaking ground in the forest, clearing of forest for any purpose or damaging the existing structure of a forest is prohibited under the Indian Forest Act and Wildlife Protection Act. The reserved forest should be allowed to grow naturally, without human interference.” He said that a group of law students from the city have decided to soon approach the National Green Tribunal in New Delhi on the issue.
When contacted, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, TSFDC, Chandan Mitra said, “We are improving the soil condition in the forest so that plantations can be taken up. We have plans of planting saplings of more than 100 species. No permission is required for taking up the plantation work. The people who are criticising our actions have no knowledge of forestry. They should tell something that is technically sound.”
In 2006, Kothaguda reserve forest was diverted from being under the control of forest department to Forest Development Corporation. The move was aimed at developing three eco-tourism projects in the reserve forest. In 2015, Telangana government passed orders to junk the eco-tourism projects.