Telangana: Kawal Tiger Reserve Affected By Illegal Sand Mining From Streams, Rivulets
Sand mining has reduced recharge and water storage capacity, affecting wildlife and conservation. Many wild animals are venturing out of the forest looking for drinking water: Reports
UDUMPUR: Illegal sand mining from streams and rivulets is reducing recharge and water storage capacity, thereby affecting wildlife and forest conservation in the Kawal Tiger Reserve of erstwhile Adilabad district.
Forest officials say wild animals are increasingly coming out of Kawal Tiger Reserve and entering surrounding villages in search of drinking water. In the process, the animals are damaging standing crops and also attacking humans.
Officials say villagers must understand the importance of sand for water recharge in streams and rivulets, which helps conserve the ecological system. The illegal mining is leading to clashes between villagers and forest staff, when the latter obstruct illegal sand mining. The clashes are ending up acquiring a political colour.
Nirmal district forest officer (DFO) Susant Sukhadev Bobade said they are trying to control illegal sand mining from streams and rivulets in the Kawal Tiger Reserve. This is resulting in decline in water storage capacity, causing shortage of drinking water for the wildlife.
The DFO said they have never stopped villagers from lifting the sand from Godavari River, which is just 25 km from the villages located in Kawal Tiger Reserve. “The sand found in streams and rivulets is very soft and high quality without a mixture of soil. There is a good demand for such sand, unlike sand excavated from the river Godavari,” observed Susant Sukhadev.
This summer, most of the streams and rivulets have dried up due to a prolonged dry spell and scanty rainfall. Forest officials are thus focusing on rainwater percolation tanks to improve groundwater table to provide drinking water for wildlife.
There are allegations that supporters of political leaders are the ones involved in illegal sand mining from the streams and rivulets in Kawal Tiger Reserve. They are making a quick buck since there is a huge demand for the sand in the market. However, this is at the expense of wildlife being deprived of drinking water in the long run.
Further, those lifting the sand are mostly non-tribal, who have a strong political and economic hold. They dominate the tribal people and even exploit them, for example in the villages located along Jannaram to Utnoor in Kawal Tiger Reserve.
Almost all the Adivasi families living inside the forest in these areas are in a pathetic condition, without much development in their hamlets.