Centre nearly throws out state's project proposals in forest areas

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government’s ability and willingness to protect wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves has been called to question, with the National Board For Wildlife (NBWL) practically throwing out nearly 80 proposals it had made for roads, power connections, and water supply lines.

Making matters worse for the government, Bhupender Yadav, Union minister for environment, forests and climate change, who chaired the April 25 NBWL meeting in New Delhi where the decision was taken, issued instructions for holding a separate meeting with the Telangana government on its proposals.

It was stated that separate and full attention needed to be paid with respect to protection of forests and wildlife in Telangana, and clearances being sought for by the state government for various projects in forest areas.

The proposed meeting, Yadav is learnt to have told the TS government officials at the April 25 meeting, should be attended by the Chief Secretary, the district collectors under whose jurisdictions the violations had occurred, as well as the district forest officers in-charge of those areas at the time of the violations. Yadav made it clear that user agencies that sought the clearances for their projects must face “serious action as applicable.”

The state government was trying to push 78 proposals for developing existing roads or laying new roads in the wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves, and a '250-crore project for laying power lines through forest areas to provide three-phase electricity to 2,156 remote tribal hamlets in these protected areas. Work has been completed in 1,919 hamlets.

Also coming under scrutiny were permissions given by the state government for several drinking water projects, mostly falling under the Mission Bhagiratha scheme, it was learnt.

The state government had previously faced criticism from the Central authorities for constructing roads without permission in some reserve forest areas, and also in Kinnerasani wildlife sanctuary. The decision to hold a separate meeting just for Telangana by the NBWL could just be the start of the Centre taking a long hard look at the past violations.