Receding forest cover and wildlife presence in Nalgonda district has become a major environmental threat, what with the authorities sanctioning granite quarrying in Rachakonda forest area.
According to the statistics available, the district has less forest area than the prescribed 33.33 per cent out of the total geographical area under National Forest Policy Act, 1952.
The Department of Mines and Geology, Andhra Pradesh, has given permission to a company, Sridevi Constructions, to quarry 16 acre hilly terrain in Marrigude and Samsthan Narayanpur mandals, that has largely disturbed the wildlife in the region.
The Rachakonda area in Marriguda mandal, which once had a huge presence of peacocks and spotted deers, seems to have lost its wildlife. Speaking to The Hindu , K. Srinivas, a resident of Ramreddypalli village in Marriguda mandal, said that they used to sight peafowl almost every day as they strayed into villages. Another villager from Vattipalli, S. Ramalingam, said that they used to spot deers every other day till the quarrying began in the hilly terrain in Rachakonda area.
“Though we tried to stall the quarrying by launching agitations, they were suppressed by the owner of the construction company, who enjoys political backing,” Mr. Ramalingam said.
The villagers appealed to the TRS, which would be forming the government in the Telangana State, to pay special attention to the issue and take measures to stop granite quarrying in Rachakonda.
