GO No. 49 Sparks Uproar Among Adivasis, Non-tribals
Over 339 villages affected by conversion into tiger reserve
Adilabad: Tribals and non-tribals are up in arms against GO No. 49, which declares the tiger-corridor area between Maharashtra’s Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and Telangana’s Kawal Tiger Reserve as the Komaram Bheem Conservation Reserve. The order affects 339 villages in the Kagaznagar and Asifabad divisions of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.
Locals, both Adivasis and non-tribals, call the notification a conspiracy that threatens their right of first refusal (ROFR) lands, revenue lands, and podu (shifting cultivation) lands. They demand the cancellation of GO No. 49, arguing that the state government failed to obtain their consent or hold gram sabhas, in violation of the PESA Act.
Congress leaders accuse BRS and BJP MLAs of stoking tensions among Adivasis and non-tribals to gain electoral advantage in upcoming local-body polls.
GO No. 49 states that the Asifabad DFO held consultations in all 339 villages and that local communities expressed support for the conservation-reserve notification. Forest officials insist that existing land rights will be honoured and no forced relocations will occur to conserve tigers.
Elected representatives counter that villagers within the reserve will effectively lose title to their patta lands, ROFR lands, and podu plots. Adivasi organisations have staged protests demanding GO No. 49’s repeal, warning that their very way of life is at stake.
In-charge minister Jupelli Krishna Rao has promised to ensure the order is officially published in the Telangana Gazette. Yet GO No. 49, issued on May 30, already stipulates publication in an extraordinary Gazette issue on June 5.
Raj Gond Seva Samiti state convener Sidam Arju alleges that forest officials misled four former sarpanchs, from Motlaguda, Murliguda, Kammergaon, and Karji gram panchayats, into signing support for the reserve and including them on its management committee. He further claims that officials aim to secure ₹500 crore in Central funds for the project and vows to fight until GO No. 49 is revoked.
Meanwhile, Congress leader and former Adilabad MP Soyam Bapu Rao met Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram on Monday, urging him to intervene and cancel GO No. 49. He also demanded an immediate halt to forest-department tree plantings on ROFR and podu lands traditionally cultivated by Adivasis.