Minister Konda Surekha stresses wildlife safety and conservation
Konda Surekha reiterates govt.’s commitment to conserve wildlife
Hyderabad: Forest, Environment, and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha chaired the 8th State wildlife board meeting at the Secretariat here on Monday.
The meeting focused on strengthening wildlife conservation, forest protection, and advancing key ecological initiatives in Telangana. During the session, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) RM Dobriyal emphasized the mandatory formation of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) under the Wildlife Protection Act-1972.
Telangana’s SBWL was formally constituted through G.O. Ms. No. 52, dated December 2, 2024. Minister Konda Surekha reiterated the government’s commitment to wildlife conservation and invited expert recommendations for enhancing forest and biodiversity management.
The Board reviewed the progress of decisions made in the 7th SBWL meeting and discussed major projects currently under review by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
A decision was taken during the meeting to approve infrastructure development and sanctioned the widening of the Medak-Yellareddy road passing through the Pocharam wildlife sanctuary and discussed the expansion of communication networks and proposals for laying Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) lines through protected forest areas.
As part of power and irrigation Projects, the Board approved the construction of an 11 KV sub-station at Mulugu and a lift irrigation scheme at Peddagattu in Nagarjunasagar division. Referring to wildlife protection measures, it reviewed 18 proposals for animal passage plan modifications and 13 proposals for mobile tower construction, recommending necessary revisions before submission to the NBWL.
For compensation for Human-Wildlife conflict victims, the board proposed the creation of a corpus fund to provide compensation to victims through Mee-Seva services apart from addressing the relocation of 1,230 families from Kawal and Amrabad Tiger Reserves to designated areas.
Under eco-tourism and conservation initiative, the board reviewed the progress of community-based eco-tourism projects and considered lifting restrictions on heavy vehicle movement in Kawal Tiger Reserve to strengthen park and zoo development, Konda Surekha asked the formation of a special committee to enhance zoological parks, national parks, and urban parks across the State.
The Board also resolved to prioritize the planting of native species in these parks while preserving the existing natural vegetation. The meeting concluded with an acknowledgment of the valuable contributions made by the Board members.
