Asifabad: Proposed ethanol plant likely to spell doom for wildlife, environment

The proposed ethanol manufacturing plant along with a co-power generation unit at Ankusapur in Kaghaznagar mandal is likely to spell trouble for tigers and efforts to protect wildlife in the region.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: The proposed ethanol manufacturing plant along with a co-power generation unit at Ankusapur in Kaghaznagar mandal is likely to spell trouble for tigers and efforts to protect wildlife in the region.

Though the site of the plant proposed to be set up in 38 acres piece of plot is in revenue land adjacent to a canal of Kumram Bheem irrigation project and forests, the vicinity is frequented by various wild animals, mainly tigers, including the latest tiger that drifted from Maharashtra into Kaghaznagar division recently, apart from leopards. The forests near the site and in the division are conducive to inhabitation of tigers and are considered as a breeding zone as indicated by recent instances.

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Tigers have been residing in the forests of Kaghaznagar division for quite a long time. A tigress delivered three cubs in the forests of this division in 2023. The family was often sighted near the canal and forest fringe villages in Kaghaznagar division. A one and half-year-old female cub and six-year-old male tiger were found dead in the forests of Dharegaon village in Kaghaznagar mandal on January 6 and 8, respectively.

Moreover, a decision was made to notify the tiger corridor areas connecting Kawal Tiger Reserve and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra as a ‘conservation reserve’ at a meeting of the State Board of Wildlife in February. The conservation reserve spans 1,492 square kilometres and 113 blocks in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district.

“The site of the plant is near Kawal tiger corridor. Recently, a tiger that migrated from Maharashtra to Telangana entered the forests of Kaghazangar. Its pugmarks were recorded around 3-4 km away from the site of the plant. The forests abutting the site are significant for wildlife,” DFO Neeraj Kumar Tibrewal told ‘Telangana Today.’

As per a clarification issued by the ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on May 17,2022, various statutory clearances such as Environmental Clearance (EC), Forest Clearance (FC) and consideration of the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL)/Standing Committee of National Board for Wild Life (SCNBWL) are applicable for projects or activity falling in eco sensitive zones (ESZ) and other such ecological significant areas (ESA).

The ethanol project, Aithanoli Cibus Products, got EC and FC, but was yet to receive approval from NBWL. Approval of NBWL is mandatory if the project or activity is proposed to be located in an area which forms a part of a tiger reserve or area linking one Protected Area (PA) or tiger reserve with another PA or tiger reserve as per section 38 (I) (g) of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

The plant management is allegedly exerting pressure on forest officials to give the wildlife clearance. However, forest officials said they would follow the instructions of NBWL.

Meanwhile, environmentalists expressed concern over adverse impact to be left on the environment with the advent of the plant. “Industrial effluents of the plant will be discharged into the canal of Kumram Bheem project, polluting the water meant for irrigating crops and ultimately affecting farmers of Kaghaznagar mandal and surrounding areas,” an environmentalist regretted.