Telangana keeps Tiger Conservation Reserve order in abeyance after protests by tribals

Hyderabad: Amid protests by tribals in four districts of Telangana, the state government on Monday decided to keep in abeyance the order for creation of Kumram Bheem Tiger Conservation Reserve.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy took the decision to keep Government Order (GO) 49 in abeyance till further orders after three ministers submitted their report to him.

Minister for Forest and Environment Konda Surekha said the decision was taken after taking into account the concerns of tribals.

The decision was taken on a day when dawn-to-dusk bandh was being observed across Adilabad, Nirmal, Kumram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial districts in protest against the GO.

Buses were off the roads while commercial establishments, schools, cinema theatres and fuel stations remained shut in response to the call given by tribal group Tudum Debba.

The tribal groups have alleged that the government is trying to keep tribals away from the forests.

The state government on May 30, 2025, issued orders declaring the tiger corridor area connecting the Kawal Tiger Reserve in the State with the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra as Kumram Bheem Conservation Reserve, as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The GO was issued to convert 1.49 lakh hectares across multiple forest ranges including Asifabad, Kerameri, Rebbena, Tiryani, Kagaznagar, Sirpur, Karjelli, Bejjur, and Penchikalpet into the Kumuram Bheem Tiger Conservation Reserve, as part of the extended Kawwal Tiger Corridor.

However, with more than 330 villages affected, many tribal residents and local representatives expressed serious concerns regarding potential displacement and restrictions on their forest rights.

Konda Surekha, along with Adilabad District In-charge Minister Jupally Krishna Rao and Panchayat Raj Minister Seethakka conducted a comprehensive review of the situation and submitted their findings and recommendations to the Chief Minister.

On the direction of the Chief Minister, the Forest Department on Monday issued orders suspending the implementation of GO 49.

Minister Konda Surekha said the government took a decision respecting the concerns raised by tribal communities and public representatives across several tribal areas.

“The government is a people’s government. We will never take any decision that harms the rights or livelihoods of Adivasis and tribal communities. The concerns of the local people have been heard, and action has been taken accordingly. The welfare of every citizen – especially our tribal brothers and sisters – remains our top priority,” she said.

The minister stated that Telangana government continues to prioritise inclusive development, ensuring that conservation efforts go hand-in-hand with the rights and well-being of indigenous communities.

–IANS