Hyderabad: Forest Minister Konda Surekha on Monday declared that the Telangana government would not compromise on tribal rights or forest law enforcement. She made the statement while chairing the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) meeting at the Secretariat.
She said the state’s forest governance strategy would balance ecological priorities with tribal interests. “The government will honour tribal communities while strictly enforcing forest norms,” she said.
Panchayat Raj Minister Anasuya Seethakka co-chaired the session. MLAs Payam Venkateswarlu, Koram Kanakaiah, Murali Nayak, Ram Das Nayak, and Vedma Bojju participated. Forest Secretary Ahmed Nadeem, PCCF Dr. Suvarna, and PCCF (Wildlife) Elu Singh Meru joined senior forest staff in the discussions.
The board reviewed infrastructure proposals with forest implications. Of six road projects within wildlife areas, the NBWL cleared only one. The remaining five aimed to connect unauthorised tribal settlements and violated conservation norms.
Eight optic fiber cable proposals also came up for review. Five routes complied with the legal Right of Way and received state approval. NBWL had already cleared the remaining three during its June 26 meeting.
The board rejected a proposal for an 11KV power line and approach road to a substation in Mulugu, citing ecological risks.
It approved the Peddagattu Lift Irrigation Project in Nalgonda after a detailed environmental assessment.
Board members proposed revised designs for animal underpasses across 22 rural roads 18 under PMGSY and four under the R&B wing. Officials directed divisional forest officers to adapt the designs to local terrain, wildlife density, and vehicle flow.
They also agreed to create and manage new protected areas. A dedicated Tiger Cell will be set up at Aranya Bhavan to monitor tiger and leopard movements. It will log big cat activity and track human-wildlife conflicts in Kamareddy, Nirmal, Jagityal, Eturnagaram, and Kinnerasani.
Minister Surekha said each decision would reflect a dual commitment to people and the planet. “We will not dilute forest protection or tribal dignity under any circumstances,” she said.