KURNOOL: Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) Deputy Director for Atmakur division, G Vignesh Appavu, has said that the illegal electric lines pose a growing threat to wildlife, especially in sensitive forest-edge areas.
A high-level coordination meeting between the Project Tiger Division of Atmakur and the Electrical Department was held at the Eco-Tourism Centre in Bairluty to address the rising threat of unauthorised electric lines in the forest and fringe villages of NSTR.
Addressing the meeting, the deputy director briefed officials on the ecological significance of the reserve and stressed the urgent need for interdepartmental cooperation to safeguard biodiversity.
Conservation expert Imran Siddique of HyTiCoS, Hyderabad, shared insights into how poachers exploit unauthorised electric connections near agricultural fields and fringe villages. He warned that electrocution-based poaching is becoming a major concern in the region.
To improve real-time coordination, both departments agreed to set up a dedicated WhatsApp group for quick reporting of suspicious activities, including cases of electric line drooping that may indicate poaching attempts.
The deputy director instructed the Electrical Department to immediately remove illegal poles and unauthorised power connections in vulnerable zones.
He also proposed joint awareness programmes in high-risk villages to educate communities on wildlife protection and the dangers of illegal electrical setups. He further urged the department to expedite compensation for Katravath Lakshma Naik, a protection watcher who died after coming into contact with an illegal electric wire set by poachers.
Both departments reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening wildlife protection, preventing illegal activities and ensuring a safer environment within the tiger reserve.