3,900 hectares of forest land retrieved, replanted

In a success story, officials of the state forest department have retrieved around 3,900 hectares of encroached land and replanted it.

In writ petitions that the Hyderabad High Court accepted, Cartosat images were taken as evidence and the forest department was directed to evict the encroachers. With a judgement of the High Court, the forest department retrieved 40 hectares of land in Satupally.

At least 209 writ petitions filed by encroachers are pending before Hyderabad High Court. The forest department has filed counters in 68 cases, and 141 others are in the works. Most litigations pertain to Mahbubabad, Kothagudem and Khammam.

Forest vigilance department chief Swargam Srinivas said, “We have booked 742 cases in the past three years against encroachers. We have a zero tolerance approach towards smuggling, poaching and encroachments. Peripheral trenches are being dug all around reserve forest boundaries to protect the area. The police department has agreed to provide protection as and when required.”

A forest official said, “Encroachers are trying to take shelter under the guise of pending claims under the Recognition of Forest Rights Act.”

TS principal chief conservator of forests P.K. Jha said, “After the Chief Minister’s orders, collectors are no longer encouraging claims under the ROFR Act. It has been stopped totally.”