HYDERABAD: Forests in Telangana continue to be under serious threat of encroachment. Although the state government is taking up afforestation under Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme, enough efforts seem to be lacking when it comes to preventing encroachment of natural forests which harbour much more diverse flora and fauna than the artificially-developed vegetation through plantation programmes.
Figures supplied by the state forest department say it all. In the year 2014-15, there were 336 cases of encroachment of 928 hectares of forest land. There was not much change in the four years that followed as the number of encroachment cases booked by the department in 2017-18 was 341 pertaining to encroachment 1,294 hectares. This year, between January and August, there were a massive number of 262 cases of encroachment of around 630 hectares (1,556 acres) of forest land.
CAUSES: According to forest department officials, the foremost reason for encroachments is agriculture. People from villages situated around forest areas and from tribal as well as non-tribal communities have been, for decades, denuding forests to take up agriculture. As families expand, more forests are chopped down to provide land for agriculture for the next generation. Farmer support schemes such as Rythu Bandhu and farm subsistence of `4,000 per acre by the state government are said to have strengthened people’s resolve more to chop down forests and develop land for agriculture.
When contacted, P Raghuveer, principal chief conservator of forests (IT & publicity), said, “Of the around 3,132 forest beats in the state, the problem of forest encroachment exists in 800 and among those the problem is severe in about 150 beats where the issue is regularly reported. It is mainly agriculture for which forests are encroached by people. Moreover, there are good irrigation facilities and farm subsidies available now.”
Raghuveer said, “It has to be kept in mind that 52 per cent of the positions in the forest department are vacant. We are functioning with just half the sanctioned strength of staff and have the responsibility of protecting almost 25 per cent of the state’s land. Each forest beat officer has to protect around 4,700 acres of forest land in the state.”
HOTSPOTS: Of the 341 cases registered in 2017-18, Kothagudem accounted for 107, followed by Warangal (85), Kawal (49), Khammam (34), Adilabad (28) and Nizamabad (26).
1,05,618 saplings planted under Haritha Haram have been uprooted
Attacks on forest staff
August 17: Forest range officer was beaten by villagers in Mahabubabad for trying to prevent encroachment.
July 18: Yellandu MLA Koran Kanakayya came along with his gunmen and thwarted plantation drive in forest area under Telangana ku Haritha Haram.
July 2: Four forest officials were assaulted in Tadvai.
July 5: Deputy range officer D Nagaraju was attacked by a mob led by sarpanch Sailu when he tried to prevent ploughing by villagers inside in Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary.
July 5: Chief conservator of forests, Warangal and two IFS officers were detained for more than two hours when they tried to prevent encroachment in Eturunagaram Wildlife Sanctuary.