With the atmosphere in State rife with rumours about early elections, the proposal for establishment of vulture sanctuary in Bejjur Reserve Forest of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, could be, in all likelihood, shelved for now.
The proposal which had been pending with the Forest Department for close to one-and-a-half years, is now with the State government for over two months.
The file needs a stamp of approval from Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao before the sanctuary is officially declared, say officials.
Approved by the State Board for Wildlife during its second meeting in February last year, the proposal is aimed at providing a safe haven for the colony of critically endangered Long Billed Vultures (Gyps indicus) found nesting near Palarapu cliffs. A project taken up here for in-situ conservation of the vultures yielded only partial results, as the scavenger birds showed little interest in the food provided by the department.
They nevertheless proliferated here, travelling intermittently to bordering Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, in search of food or mates.
From mere 10 when they were found initially in 2013, they increased to 30 by 2016-17, showing a success rate of 70-80% against the average 40-50% among their ilk elsewhere.
For the conservation of this fast-dwindling species, it was proposed to notify Bejjur, Gudem and Girelly forest blocks covering an area of 398 square kilometres as a sanctuary (Jatayu Vulture Sanctuary).
The area is also part of the corridor for movement of tigers, another endangered species, from Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, and Indravathi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh to Kawal Tiger Reserve.
Besides, this area is also habitat for wildlife such as panther, sloth bear, four horned Antelope, Sambar, Nilgai, and Chital, say officials.
“It is also an ideal habitat for raptors such as Eagle, Owl, Falcon, Kite and Shikras, as they look for hilly areas for perching,” says an official from the Forest Department.
While the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests P.K. Jha says that the ball is now in government’s court, wildlife activists are critical about the department sending the proposals late.
“State Board for Wildlife, during all its sittings, gave priority to proposals for diversion of forest lands. While such diversions got immediate clearances by the Board and Ministry of Environment & Forests, this sole proposal, with some import to wildlife conservation, is getting unendingly delayed. Now, they are saying it needs approval by the Chief Minister, whereas the chairperson of the Wildlife Board which cleared the proposal is the Chief Minister himself,” says a Board member.
Another member says that the State government could be hesitant as declaration of sanctuary meant no new diversion proposals without Centre’s approval.
Special Chief Secretary Ajay Mishra, holding additional charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, says that the file is yet to be sent for the Chief Minister’s approval, without which it cannot be notified in gazette.