Biotic interference and forest fires are making a mockery of the ambitious tree plantation programme, the Telanganaku Haritha Haram (THH), in Adilabad district. A team of forest officials currently studying the factors influencing loss of saplings planted under the programme has found to its consternation that a higher degree of awareness notwithstanding, common people in the district are not inclined towards saving the plants.
“In many instances, it’s people who destroyed the saplings which had grown properly. Most affected is the avenue plantation which needs constant re-plantation at several places,” lamented Adilabad Social Forestry Divisional Forest Officer and THH Nodal Officer M. Janaki Ram.
Avenue plantation extends along a cumulative road length of 226 km and had 1.19 lakh saplings planted initially. However, about 60,000 saplings were planted again after they were lost due to biotic interference. “Plants are getting damaged when cattle grazing in the vicinity trample upon the plastic protective mesh as it was seen between Mancherial and Chennur. A farmer chopped off plants on the boundary of his field near Laxmidas temple of Chintakunta in Jannaram mandal fearing the tree will encroach upon his field when fully grown,” the Nodal Officer revealed of some of the experience that his team have had with respect to avenue plantation destruction.
In addition to burning of existing trees and newly planted ones under avenue plantation of THH programme, the unchecked forest fires have caused damage to THH nurseries in the district. For example, saplings being raised in the Mamda nursery were damaged after a forest fire . “At Luxettipet Social Welfare Residential School, the management caused damage to THH plants as it set fire to the weeds which had grown around the saplings,” Mr. Janaki Ram pointed out as he gave another example of lack of interest and will on part of general public in protecting the environment.
“Though we have 866 Haritha Rakshana Committees, one in each of the gram panchayats in the district, they are not showing interest when it comes to implementing whatever they have learnt of protecting trees,” he rued.
“The government needs to do something more in terms of controlling cattle grazing in sensitive places,” suggested another forest officer on conditions of anonymity.
“Cattle grazing has already caused much damage to the existing green cover even in Kawal Tiger Reserve,” he argued.
