Telangana: NH expansion in Kawal reserve draws flak

HYDERABAD: Among projects, being planned or implemented, in and around forests, laying of roads seems to be the biggest threat to tigers in the state. The recently-constituted State Wildlife Board's nod for four laning National Highway (NH)-363 (Mancherial-Chandrapur) for 94.6 km in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad division is drawing flak from wildlife enthusiasts and activists.
"The forest wise area, being considered for expansion, is categorised into buffer and reserve forest of Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR). The area comprises patches of forest land, which is a vital link for tigers migrating from Kawal to Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra's Chandrapur. The patches of forest land should be given the status of satellite core area before approving expansion of NH," environment researcher and wildlife activist Rajender Reddy said.
"The corridor plays a crucial role in tigers migrating from Maharashtra to Telangana and vice-versa. There are even records of tigers migrating from Tadoba and giving birth in Kawal," Reddy added.
Kawal, spread over Adilabad, Nirmal, Mancherial and Kumaram Bheem-Asifabad districts in Telangana, currently has about six tigers, while Tadoba has about 43 big cats.
The State Wildlife Board, chaired by vice-chairman and forest minister A Indrakaran Reddy, met for the first time recently after it was reconstituted earlier this year. The approved proposal would be sent to the National Board for Wildlife.
Mirza Kareem Baig of NGO Forest and Wildlife Protection Society (FAWPS) said, "Apart from the NH expansion, the government should also consider expanding the core area of KTR at the earliest. It will help improve surveillance, traffic at night, speed limit of vehicles can be tracked with CCTVs at strategic animal crossing junctions and laying of underpasses wherever required."
"Upgrading it to extended core or satellite core area will give more protection and surveillance, which will be a good move for better conservation efforts," Kareem said.
The board members, on the other hand, informed that NH-363 expansion approval was given only after wildlife mitigation measures were discussed with forest department officials.