LPG Crisis Drives Forest Loot In Warangal

As fuel prices increase, residents living near forest fringes in Mahbubabad, Mulugu and Jayashankar Bhupalpally districts are increasingly turning to firewood. What began as a survival response has quickly turned into a profitable illegal trade, with trees being felled to supply wood to hostels, hotels and tiffin centres in nearby towns. The situation is also being exploited by organised timber syndicates, which are using the fuel shortage as a cover to intensify the smuggling of high-value timber.

In recent weeks, groups have been cutting a range of trees, including teak, neem, acacia and tamarind, for significant profits. The scale of these operations was highlighted when forest officials in Mulugu district intercepted a Bolero vehicle at the Kodisela forest check post. A team led by Forest Range Officer Kota Sattaiah seized teak logs worth about ₹2.3 lakh and arrested a suspect, identified as Balina Ravi.

Residents in the Parkal and Dornakal divisions alleged that the illegal trade is thriving under the nose of local authorities, with smugglers using mechanised cutters to fell trees along public roads. They said that while the government conducts large-scale tree-planting drives, existing mature forests are being destroyed. Public anger is mounting against the forest department and municipal officials, with allegations that field staff remain confined to their offices and accept bribes to allow timber transport.

Parkal municipal commissioner S. Anjaiah said that protecting trees is a shared responsibility. He stated that even in unavoidable circumstances, permission from the forest department is mandatory for removing trees on private residential premises. Any violation within municipal limits would be reported to the police and legal action would be initiated.

The environmental impact of this administrative failure is becoming increasingly visible, with wildlife being pushed into human settlements. Rare animals, including deer and antelopes, are entering nearby villages as their habitats shrink, often falling prey to poachers.

While some animals have been rescued by local youth, conservationists warn that the continued loss of forest land poses a serious and lasting threat to the region’s biodiversity. They caution that unchecked logging could lead to an irreversible ecological disaster if not halted immediately.

Responding to the growing concern, Palimela range officer Nagaraju said a specialised gang involved in the teak trade has been identified. He added that staff are carrying out intensified patrols and that strict legal cases will be registered against those involved.

However, community leaders and environmental groups are calling for more sustained measures. They said that without a decisive crackdown on smuggling networks and a resolution to the local fuel crisis, the state’s already dwindling forest resources will remain under severe threat.