Plan to extend core of Kawal reserve dropped

Wildlife activists are crying foul over the TS forest department’s proposal and the mitigating measures in tiger corridors while executing the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita project at Adilabad. The KawalTadoba corridor area gets extra protection under the Wildlife Protection Act.

A tiger expert said, “Kawal-Tadoba tiger corridor has got significance because tigers come back after the declaration of the corridor. There are at least two breeding females with six cubs along with three adults in this corridor area in the Telangana side. There is a proposed sanctuary in the Maharashtra side which harbours about 15-20 tigers. The Pranhitha canal would be passing through the identified corridor where cubs are spotted on several occasions. The canal is passing through the forest area.”

Wildlife experts pointed out when regional director of the ministry of forest and environment M.R.G. Reddy visited the site, the ‘cut and cover’ method was agreed. However, it was put on the back burner.

The ‘cut and cover’ method allows construction of shallow tunnels where a trench is excavated and roofed over with an overhead support system to carry the load of what is to be built above the tunnel.

“At the meeting of the state wildlife board, it was agreed that the western areas of the corridor, where tigers are sighted regularly, would be declared as the extended core to Kawal to compensate for the opportunity lost for tiger’s survival and movement,” the expert said.

“This was a win-win solution but it was ignored. The proposed eco-bridges of 7.5 metres wide would serve little purpose. The regional director has also suggested that the bridges should not be less than 30 metres in several locations,” he said.