Protection of forests becomes a concern in erstwhile Adilabad

The delay in promotion of officials to higher positions following back to back elections have only added to the concern.

Adilabad: Administration of several forest divisions in erstwhile Adilabad district has turned into a tough task with an apparent staff shortage hitting the department.

The delay in promotion of officials to higher positions following back to back elections have only added to the concern.

---

The erstwhile Adilabad district has eleven divisions such as Adilabad, Echoda, Utnoor, Nirmal, Khanapur, Mancherial, Chennur, Bellampalli, Jannaram, Asifabad, Kaghaznagar. Seven out of the eleven divisions in erstwhile Adilabad district are administered by in-charge Forest Divisional Officers (FDO). For instance, Khanapur forest division has been without an FDO since October.

Armoor FDO Bhavani Shankar is in-charge of Khanapur. Adilabad and Utnoor divisions too do not have FDOs for quite a long time. Asifabad Forest Range Officer (FRO) Appalakonda has been posted as in-charge FDO of Kaghaznagar.

Jannaram Forest Division is helmed by Mancherial District Forest Officer Shiv Aasheesh Singh, while FDO VIjay Kumar assumed charge a few days ago of Bellampalli, which was head-less for over six months. Due to lack of regular FDOs, flora and fauna is not conserved effectively.

In particular, migration of tigers and new menace of the elephant that have become causes for concern to the public.

The in-charge FDOs are reportedly unable to focus on protection of tigers as they are busy with regular tasks in their home divisions.

This is despite the death of two tigers in January in the district. Field level staff had to wait for instructions from superior officials to tackle the elephant which drifted towards Telangana from Maharashtra and trampled two farmers to death in Kaghaznagar forest division in a gap of two days recently.

The officials were left with no option but to depend on support from their counterparts from Maharashtra in diverting the pachyderm to the neighboring State. “Most of the officials are not willing to work in the divisions though the district is comparatively endowed with rich wealth of forest and wildlife.

They are interested in discharging duties in and around Hyderabad. However, the dearth of staff is leaving an adverse impact on the administration of the wild and wildlife,” a senior Forest officer said.

Meanwhile, around 40 percent of Forest Sections and Beats are lying vacant due to lack of recruitments and promotions of staffers hampered by Assembly elections held in December and Lok Sabha polls slated for May 13.

Due to staff crunch, the division and range officers are struggling to prevent encroachment of forest cover, hunting of wild animals and felling of trees.

It is learnt the forest department is planning to effect promotions soon after completion of the Lok Sabha elections.