78 Telangana Forest Department officials face music for failing to protect wildlife
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Forest Department has suspended as many as 53 of its personnel in the Adilabad circle and 25 personnel in the Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR), Nirmal circle, since 2019, “for gross negligence of duties and failure to protect the forest and wildlife”.
Beside this, disciplinary action was also initiated against 49 personnel in Adilabad circle and against 66 personnel in KTR, Nirmal circle. These details were revealed to the media in a statement released by Field Director of Kawal Reserve CP Vinod Kumar, on Saturday.
The press release further said that as part of increasing vigil against timber smuggling, the Forest Department seized 37 vehicles in the last two years, while they were being used for transporting teak and other forest produce worth a total of Rs 9,73,153. Also, action has been taken against 23 forest offenders, who are now in judicial remand.
He added that it was only during the past three months that four incidents of destruction of forest properties were reported, and for more than a year before that there were no such major incidents. He further stated that even in the recent four incidents that occurred at Rajura and Kappanpally of Nirmal and Jannaram forest divisions, action was taken against the offenders, including a forest staffer in one case.