NIZAMABAD: Tribals and non-tribals are trying to encroach reserve forest lands in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts. Ahead of monsoon season, a few persons are trying to cultivate crops in forest areas. Shockingly, few forest officials are also supporting the encroachers to occupy reserve forest lands. Sirikonda, Mopal, Gandhari and other mandals in both the districts are facing encroachment attempts.
For instance, a forest officer backed the tribals to encroach reserve forest lands on a large scale in Nizamabad district. After getting a series of complaints, higher forest department officials conducted an inquiry and suspended the officer. By influencing others, a corrupt officer was reinstated in another district in Telangana state.
Meanwhile, forest department officials have launched awareness programmes to promote the protection of reserve forest areas. Forest Range Officers (FROs) conducted meetings in their respective jurisdictions to educate locals about the importance of preserving reserve forest lands and warned that strict action would be taken against encroachments. Officials noted that some encroachers, as part of a premeditated plan, had already cut down trees in forest areas during the summer and were preparing to cultivate crops during the upcoming rainy season.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior forest officer on condition of anonymity, said that they are facing lot of pressure from political leaders on reserve forest lands encroachments. By encouraging the encroachers, a few elected representatives destroyed the reserve forest lands, he said. Collective efforts of forest, revenue and police departments are required to protect the reserve forest lands, he said.
On other hand, a few tribals are seriously trying to get the pattas for podu lands in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts. A few of them claimed that they were cultivating the forest lands for more than two decades and required official documents. “There is no livelihood for us, without cultivation in remote and interior areas,” said Govind, a tribal farmer from Sirikonda mandal. Despite terming it a criminal act, the government should consider plea of poor families on forest land encroachments, he said.
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