Irrigation Department officials are buoyant, and environmental activists disappointed, as a tiger corridor in Telangana’s Bejjur and Kadamba forests in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district is set to host an ambitious canal project.
The right flank canal of the Pranahita project will have an impact on 480 hectares of forests in the tiger corridor between Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur of Maharashtra, Indravati Tiger Reserve in Chattisgarh and Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana.
A study shows that it has 52 species of trees, one lakh fully grown with over 30 cm girth, and over 2 lakh others, which would be lost.
The July 14 visit by a team of environmental experts and forest officials to Koutala and Bejjur to fix locations for remedial eco-bridges on the canal has given hope to the State government that the irrigation project will get environmental clearance. The National Board for Wildlife is to meet soon to evaluate the pros and cons.
Continuing work
A barrage is being constructed across the perennial Pranahita river at Tummidi-Hetti in Koutala mandal from where the canal originates. Work on the canal started 10 years ago and digging done in certain stretches.
The original design, which envisaged lifting of 160 tmc ft of water from the barrage, saw changes after the TRS government took over. The structure will now have a height of 148 metres instead of the original 152 metres planned and 20 tmc ft of water will be lifted to irrigate some two lakh hectares in KB Asifabad and Mancherial districts.
Forest land needed for the 72-km canal totals 1,081 hectares, within Kagaznagar, Bellampalli and Mancherial forest divisions. The tiger corridor falls in Kagaznagar division.
Soil pile-up fears
Forest destruction is expected to happen due to the piling up of the overburden from the canals. The actual canal width is 180 metres but since it would be 32 metres deep, the excavated soil is to be piled up to 700 metres on either side.
The proposed eco-bridges with vegetation are planned to camouflage and facilitate tiger movement in the corridor.
“This could mean permanent destruction, so the government should come up with an alternative solution,” said Imran Siddqui, member, Telangana State Board for Wildlife.
“When the government takes up felling of trees in the area, the locals will start clearing the forest to expand their farms,” a forest official said explaining the fallout of the move which the State government has not taken into consideration. “It’s not worth it,” he observed.
