Road work in Mulugu forest raises questions on double standards

HYDERABAD: A strange situation has arisen in Mulugu district with respect to carrying out development work over a large patch of reserve forest, with two user agencies following different methods. The first work was of laying a Mission Bhagiratha pipeline while the second one was on strengthening a stretch of a national highway.

Besides, two government departments are disputing ownership of the land.

The latest tug of war between the revenue and forest departments arose after the authorities began work to add paved shoulders to the two-lane National Highway 163 on a nearly 7-km stretch passing through the Jakaram forest block. The road leads to Medaram, where the famous jatara attracts lakhs of devotees.

At the heart of the district administration’s contention is that back in 1951, the land in question was recorded as revenue land after de-reservation. The forest department says that in 1955, this land was handed back to the forest department and ever since in every official record, state or central, it has been recorded as forest land.

The issue of how two government agencies can follow different procedures to use forest land came up following Mulugu district administration giving the go-ahead for the road work under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode and work starting on Monday.

Local forest officials objected, saying that permissions must first be taken under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) . This led to a face-off between the district administration and the forest department.

On Monday, forest officials seized three vehicles, including two earthmovers, that were involved in the road work. This resulted in the district administration issuing notice to the forest department under Section 145 of the CrPC that allows it to take possession of land in dispute. Sources said the district administration was of the view that in 1955 the then collector had overstepped his brief in giving the land back to the forest department.

Sources said the forest department was not against the road work but only wanted the revenue authorities to follow procedure, seek sanction from the Union environment ministry and follow FCA norms.

“When permission for Mission Bhagiratha pipeline work through the same patch of forest was sought, the user agency applied for FCA permissions and received Stage I clearance from the environment ministry. Now, the district administration says the land is owned by the revenue department and no permission is needed. In various official records, the land is recorded as a forest. The forest department wants to cooperate but is asking the district administration to follow due procedure,” sources said.

If the work is allowed, sources said, it will be the ground-level forest department staff who will end up facing the flak for not objecting to and stopping the work that does not have FCA clearances, sources said.