Road projects in Kawal Tiger Reserve get nod

Hyderabad:  The TS Board for Wildlife on Tuesday approved several road projects inside the Kawal tiger reserve, Kinnerasani wildlife sanctuary, and in the tiger corridor areas through which tigers have been moving into Telangana state from Maharashtra’s forests.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests R. Shobha told the board meeting, attended by forests minister A. Indrakaran Reddy, that wildlife mitigation measures such as 30-metre long underpasses to enable wild animals to cross the roads unhindered will be constructed as part of the road works. She said not a single tree would be felled as part of the road works.

However, sources said that it was rare that road works are carried out involving black topping and creating all-weather roads to habitations inside the core area of a tiger reserve. Construction of permanent road infrastructure is not allowed in any tiger reserve. Sources were referring to the okaying of a proposal to black top, and widen, a 10-km stretch of road to Alampally village in the core area of the Kawal tiger reserve.

Indrakaran Reddy, who chaired the meeting, said the government was according to priority to providing basic infrastructure in areas where tribal groups live, and road work to connect tribal villages should be taken up without delays.

“Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has made it a priority for the government to protect forests and wildlife. The measures initiated under his direction has led to increased forest cover and the numbers of wild animals in the state,” Indrakaran Reddy said.

The meeting, according to a news release from the forest department, also discussed importance of developing ecotourism and holding events such as bird festivals to encourage people to visit forests.

The minister suggested that the Board study ways and means to improve ecotourism in the state and submit a report which can be prepared by a committee that should be formed for this specific task.