Telangana: Khammam Forest Department celebrates 100 years

As part of centenary celebrations, week-long events, such as 'Vanadarshini' at urban parks for school students, special trips for government schools to Puligundala tank area, and bird and wildlife survey at Kanakagiri hills will be held

Khammam: The district Forest Department, established in Khammam in 1925, is celebrating its centenary year.

In 1925, the Nizam government set up a forest divisional office at Gandhi Chowk in Khammam town in the erstwhile Warangal district. The forest office complex had jurisdiction up to the current Aswaraopet mandal in the east, Yerrupalem mandal in the south, Wajedu in the north, Palair in the west and Tiruvur forest area of present Andhra Pradesh.

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Later, in view of the large extent of forest area and the need for special monitoring, the government on June 16, 1965, set up a forest circle office in the same building, said the district forest officer (DFO), Siddharth Vikram Singh.

Tracing down the history of the department’s expansion, he revealed that as per requirement in the forest circle, several divisions were set up later besides Andhra Pradesh Forest School at Yellandu to train the department’s personnel.

In the past, for cooking purposes, firewood was used to be sold to the people by auction in the forest office complex. After the bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, new circles were formed in the department. As part of that, Khammam district and Suryapet districts were clubbed to form Khammam Forest Circle, Vikram Singh said.

In Khammam, a district Forest Department office was established with a district forest officer and two forest divisions, Khammam and Sathupalli. Special forest urban parks have been established at Khammam and Sathupalli for the development of eco-tourism.

Currently, Khammam district is a part of Bhadradri Zone having a circle office at Warangal according to the new zonal system, the DFO noted. The forest personnel are striving hard for forest protection and wildlife conservation, prevention of illegal timber trade and poaching of wild animals by using the Van app for foot patrolling.

Likewise, catch the trap drive is taken up for removing snares and protecting wildlife. Nurseries and plantations are being raised in vulnerable areas to ensure no further encroachment besides monitoring at the command and control centre with solar CCTV cameras.

As part of centenary celebrations, week-long events, such as ‘Vanadarshini’ at urban parks for school students, special trips for government schools to the Puligundala tank area, and bird and wildlife survey at Kanakagiri hills would be held.

‘Know the forest department and officers’ at Khammam forest complex, launch and inauguration of new buildings in Sathupally range, and ‘meet the working and retired officers of the forest complex’ are also part of the events, Vikram Singh added.