NAGPUR: Even three months after the Nagpur Bench of Bombay high court passed orders to remove encroachments in Khadsangi forest range of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) buffer, the forest officials have failed to do anything.
Disposing of a PIL filed by wildlife conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra on March 2, 2022, justices Nitin Jamdar and Anil Pansare had ordered the removal of these encroachments and asked PCCF (wildlife) to consider the petition as representation and take necessary steps as per law.
Considering the importance of the issue, the PCCF (wildlife) has been asked to issue steps to remove encroachments as early as possible. The high court had also asked all authorities concerned like police and revenue departments to extend necessary cooperation to the forest officials.
However, the grievance of the petitioner is that no steps are being taken to remove these encroachments. The lack of action by the authorities is giving time to the local villagers to stake a claim on reserve forest land in Khadsangi.
Last month, the Bothli (Wahangaon) gram panchayat in Chimur has staked claim over 4,500 acres of forest land, equivalent to 3,410 football fields. The reserve forest land on which the gram sabha is staking claim under the community forest rights (CFR) also includes Ramdegi, where there are several unauthorized structures ordered to be removed by the high court.
There is crystal-clear case of encroachments on reserve forest land, which is also a tiger and wildlife habitat. In the last five years, there have been 58 cases of man-animal conflict in the area, in which 7 cases were in direct interface with humans. Two persons staying in the illegal hutments were killed in leopard attacks on December 10 and 11, 2018. The area is rich in prey base and has abundant water.
Yet, authorities are reluctant to take action fearing law and order problems. PCCF (wildlife) Sunil Limaye was not available for comments. Both, district collector Ajay Gulhane and Chandrapur SP Arvind Salve, did not respond to TOI calls.
Talking to TOI, TATR conservator of forests (CF) & field director Dr Jitendra Ramgaonkar said, “Based on the high court order, first we issued an eviction notice, but the encroachers did not appear. A joint meeting with collector and SP has been held and we are moving cautiously.”
However, sources said the police department, which is always ready to support the forest department to maintain law and order in case of man-animal conflict, is not forthcoming on the issue. Once the rains arrive, it will be difficult to remove these encroachments.
The PIL states that the encroachers have built a staircase with 221 steps, 13 toilets alongside a water tank, besides a large meditation centre using stones and cement, and a stage for functions, among other structures, which have grown in size in the last 20 years.
