Telanganagovernment’s move to grant forest land rights ahead of an election year is posing a grave threat to lakhs of acres of forest land in the state.
The tribal welfare department with the help of forest and revenue departments is currently doing a massive exercise to grant forest rights to the encroachers, which resulted in a spurt in fresh encroachments and conflict between foresters and Gutti Koya tribals and non-tribals as well.
Out of 11.5 lakh acres of forest land applications filed, only 1.6 lakh acres of encroachment before 2005 is eligible for the rights. Whereas 5.6 lakh acres encroached after 2005 and as per the Act, is ineligible for the rights.
Out of these encroachments, the forest department has retrieved 61,911 acres and raised plantations. One such is the area in which forest range officerCh Srinivasa Raotried to save the plantation in Bhadradri Kottagudem district and was killed by encroachers.
Around 3.6 lakh acres is still forest land and not encroached but yet claimed. Currently, there are attempts to chop this forest over which environmentalists have expressed deep concerns.