HYDERABAD: A potential leopard habitat on the outskirts of Hyderabad is under the threat of getting destroyed due to mining. It is learnt that Gayatri Minerals, a city-based mineral company, is eyeing 10.87 Hectares of land in the Parandla reserved forest under Amangal forest division, for mining quartz and feldspar. The forest is located near Yacharam, around 20 kilometres away from the Outer Ring Road. The mining company has applied to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for forest clearance permission.
However, according to Amangal Forest Divisional Officer Janaki Ram, a leopard was spotted in the Parandla reserved forest just 15 days back. In fact, the forest is located just about 20 km away from villages like Kothapally or Thakallapally and the Kadthal reserve forest, where there have been multiple leopard sightings and cattle kills since the beginning of this year. A major reason behind this is the fragmentation of forests in the region. With villages located very close to forest boundaries, leopards often venture into these areas for food and water.
The proposal for forest clearance by the mining company recently came up in the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) of the MoEF. Although the Telangana government forwarded the company’s proposal, claiming that there are no endangered or rare species in the Parandla reserved forest, it was stalled by the REC.
After observing irregularity in the compensatory afforestation offered against the forest clearance proposal, the REC decided to conduct a site inspection. It also observed that the firm did not mention anything regarding how the quarried products will be transported from the site and that it did not submit a letter of intent by the mines Department of Mines.
The REC directed the State government to provide all relevant documents to the sub-committee, which was formed to conduct the site inspection. The documents for scrutiny include data on existing mines located in the proposed area, violations committed in the forest region, a letter from the Department of Mines, etc.
10.87 Haof land in the forest is being eyed for mining quartz and feldspar
State government forwarded the company’s proposal claiming that there are no endangered or rare species in the Parandla reserved forest
However, according to Amangal Forest Divisional Officer Janaki Ram, a leopard was spotted in the reserved forest just 15 days back