ADILABAD: The forest department recently conducted a socio-economic survey in the Karjelly range, revealing large-scale forest land encroachment by non-tribals in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, particularly in the Kagaznagar forest division. Of 2,200 acres encroached, 1,400 acres are held by 60 non-tribal families, each occupying 20–30 acres and expanding their holdings annually.
In Bandepally and Dimda beats alone, 16 families have encroached on 472 acres (189 ha) and 44 families on 634 acres (254 ha).
Officials say some non-tribal encroachers profit by lending money and conducting business on these lands. Wildlife movement is also affected; last year, elephants migrated from Maharashtra’s Chaprala Wildlife Sanctuary, crossing the Pranahitha river into Kagaznagar, killing two farmers. To reduce man-animal conflict, forest officials have struck agreements with some encroachers, allowing two to three acres for livelihood while reclaiming the rest for plantations.
Authorities say that large-scale encroachments are mostly by non-tribals, some of whom hold “padyatras” claiming the land as podu land. In November last year, 600 trees had fallen, due to such land holdings; a vigilance inquiry confirmed the trees were cut for illegal expansion.
Forest officials allege that non-tribals use tribals as a shield against eviction. In Dimda (Chintalamanapally mandal) and Jaihindpur (Penchkalpet mandal), non-tribals encouraged tribals to confront officials during land retrieval attempts.
Speaking to TNIE, Kagaznagar Forest Divisional Officer Sushanth Sukdev said tribals cultivating small plots of two to four acres for survival are not being disturbed. However, non-tribals without legal pattas are illegally farming large tracts and expanding their hold, necessitating urgent action.