From tigers to urban parks to Haritha Haram, 2022 has been hectic for Telangana Forest Dept

From relocation of villages from core areas of tiger reserve forests, launching six urban parks in a single day, keeping an eye tigers moving in from neighbouring States due to increased conservation activities, 2022 has been quite a hectic year for the Forest department.

Hyderabad: The green forests of Telangana might be beautiful and calm, but the efforts to preserve these and to ensure that the inhabitants of the forests, and those depending on the forests, co-exist peacefully, have been keeping Forest officials in Telangana on their toes and busy through the year.

From relocation of villages from core areas of tiger reserve forests, launching six urban parks in a single day, keeping an eye tigers moving in from neighbouring States due to increased conservation activities and chalking out action plans for the recently approved 1658 posts in the department, 2022 has been quite a hectic year for the Forest department.

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The relocation of villages from core areas of tiger reserves was a big challenge for the department since years. With the State government extending all support, voluntary relocation of villagers from Rampur and Maisampet from the core areas of Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR) was successfully completed. All the NTCA rules were duly followed for relocation of villages from a core area. Under the relocation exercise, villagers are offered two options of monetary compensation of Rs.15 lakh each to a family or allocation of agriculture land, besides a house plot and other benefits. Buoyed with the success of relocating two villages, the department is now focusing on relocation of more villages in tiger reserves.

Among green initiatives, with the State government establishing Haritha Nidhi (Telangana Green Funds) for contribution from various sources, the department saw Rs.23.33 crore being deposited. Measures taken up to increase the forest cover were recognized by the union government. According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, Telangana now has a forest cover of 21,214 square kilometres. This is when States like Uttar Pradesh (12), Madhya Pradesh (11), Maharashtra (20), Gujarat (69) and Karnataka (155) recorded minimal increase in forest cover. As for Telangana, there is an increase of 632 square kilometre between ISFR 2019 and ISFR 2021, which is the second highest increase in forest cover in the country.

On July 28, six urban parks were opened by Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy. Similarly, on December 12, one lakh saplings were planted in Nalgonda town to increase the green cover as per the directions of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. Even as all this were happening, the department is now expediting measures to accord permissions to facilitate three-phase power supply to tribal hamlets across the State. The State government had identified 3,146 tribal hamlets in different areas for supply of three-phase power at an estimated cost of Rs.250 crore. Of these, 232 habitations were yet to be extended three-phase power supply. A Committee has been set up under the leadership of respective District Collectors to take up works in these habitations.