The maiden meeting of the reconstituted State Board for Wildlife on Saturday approved several proposals for forest land diversion, including clearance of 168 hectares in Kagaznagar division for extension of existing railway line to broad gauge.
Sources said except for one proposal from Panchayat Raj department, all others have got the nod from the Board chaired by Minister for Environment and Forests A. Indrakaran Reddy. A total of 24 proposals were presented pertaining to construction, upgrade, repairs and maintenance of roads and bridges, drinking water projects, optical fibre cable lines and irrigation projects, among others. The forest land to be diverted totals up to about 400 hectares.
Minor modifications were sought also in the documentation for laying of optical fibre cable lines by telecom companies.
Special Chief Secretary Rajeshwar Tiwari, and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest R.Shoba were present at the meeting.
Fire in tiger reserve
Six hectares of forest land was burnt in the limits of Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Nagar Kurnool district due to a fire mishap on Saturday. The fire started near Vatuvarlapally village of Domalapenta range, a press note from the Forest department informed. Forest staff put out the fire with the help of base camp watchers of Domalapenta range, it said.
