Loss of green cover, a big worry for KCR

■ Forest officials cash in on CM’s support for the conservation of forests

The Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrasekhar Rao doesn’t want a situation in the state where people have to “buy” fresh air.

The Chief Minister recently said in the Assembly, “Conservation of forests is very important in Telangana state. If deforestation continues, we might meet a situation where we have to buy oxygen from the oxygen clubs like in Delhi and other cities.”

The Chief Minister has said that the government is very keen to protect the state’s forests and take up plantation work throughout the state, including Hyderabad city.

“The forests of Telangana are damaged and I have ordered strict action against offenders. The forest department listed 459 professional offenders and the PD Act is being imposed on a few of them. It will suppress the offenders and work for the rejuvenation of the forests in the state,” he said.

This is music to the ears of forest department officials who are not used to their department being given much importance. The support of the Chief Minister means forest conservation can actually become a reality.

Already, the forest department has arrested about 249 offenders and booked about 384 cases in just the last couple of weeks. Apart from smuggling and poaching, encroachments also are a worry. According to official statistics, 4,656 hectares of forest land has been encroached upon in recent times, 1,651 hectares in the fiscal year 2016- 2017.

The Chief Minister has ordered the police department to support forest personnel, and now the support of other departments in the state is also being sought.

In the recently held State Level Forest Protection Committee meeting chaired by Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi, it was decided to coordinate with other departments to protect forests.

For example, the committee decided to take the help of the electricity department to control poaching as many animals are being electrocuted by poachers. An action plan is being prepared for the same.

A forest department official, on condition of anonymity, said, “The words of the Chief Minister about the forest department in the Assembly are definitely a boost to the forest department. Being in service for all these years, we know how the forest department has been neglected by governments.”

“Many governments didn’t care about the forests. We are happy that awareness about the forests is spreading in people and the government at least now,” the official added.