ADILABAD: For the first time, the Forest Department officials are translocating trees that are being uprooted for the widening of the National Highway that passes through Kawal Tiger Reserve in the erstwhile Adilabad district. The officials have already started the translocation of trees in the non-forest area and in respect of the forest area, work is going to begin soon. The officials have listed 380 trees in Nirmal and Khanapur forest divisions for translocation.
Khanapur divisional forest officer U Koteshwar Rao says: “At present, the translocation of trees in the non-forest area is going on. The trees are located on the NH 61 between Nirmal and Khanapur. For widening the road by 10 metres, officials have estimated that trees for a distance of 7.7 km have to be removed both in forest and non-forest areas.
In the non-forest area, the trees that would have to be removed would be about 3,941, and those in the forest area would be 1,330. The officials are translocating only 380 trees in both the areas which can withstand the change in their location and survive. The rest of the trees cannot be translocated since chances of survival are very slim.
The 380 trees identified for translocation are more than 15 to 20 years of age and have bright chances of survival after translocation. Last year the NGT committee visited and gave permission for widening the road.
Apart from 380 trees, 10 canopy bridges would be developed to facilitate the movement of monkeys without them getting run down by the trucks. In some places, underground bridges also would be constructed for this purpose. Officials say they were beefing up vigilance to prevent poaching of animals. Also, check posts also have been set up to check vehicles as part of efforts to stem the rise in poaching.
The 380 trees identified for translocation are more than 15 to 20 years of age and have bright chances of survival after translocation, say officials