Drastic decline in forest area in Krishna, Guntur districts

Vijayawada: The forest area declined abnormally in and around Vijayawada-Amaravati capital city and also in Krishna and Guntur districts. Now the forest area is restricted to only 7.38 per cent in Krishna district against the total 21 per cent State average.

As per the norms, the forest area should be 33 per cent of the total geographical area.According to officials, half of the forest area has declined in the district during the last two decades. Especially the increasing encroachments, aqua culture and commercial usage of lands are reasons behind the declining land area.

Highlights:

• Only 7.38 per cent is the forest area in Krishna district as against the State average of 21 per cent
• 25,000 hectares of forest land was encroached by politicians and others in the district
• Rise in temperature in Vijayawada due to decline in forest area
• However, officials claim that efforts are on to improve greenery and the new capital Amaravati is intended to be a Blue-Green capital
• Seeds have been sprinkled on hills surrounding Vijayawada city

Nearly 25,000 hectares of forest land was encroached by politicians and others in Krishna district alone as per official sources.

The forest department study reveals the entire area of Durga Malleswara Swami temple was under deep forest in the past. Moreover, present capital location villages and its surroundings including noted Buddhist centres on Krishna river course area also came under the forest area.

Several monks and Buddhists selected the places for their prayers and dhyanas as the entire area was thick forest. Actually the forest area in the district had slowly reduced when the kings and other trading community started business based on River Krishna.

The study of forest department has also confirmed it, said Krishna district forest department senior official. The surroundings of Vijayawada city are facing hot weather due to the declining forest area, he added.

He also said the people are facing allergies and several disorders from the declining forests. However, the forest department has planned to plant five lakh saplings in Krishna district to overcome the situation.

On the other hand, nearly 45,000 acres of forest lands in Krishna district is under the encroachers’ hands and they have already cut the trees and using the lands for their livelihood and some of the landlords and political leaders are also using it to raise commercial crops.

But the forest department could not take possession of the lands so far except filing cases as an official procedure, said one senior officer on condition of anonymity.

However, the State government has applied for de-notification of forest lands and the greenery improvement plans are being implemented in the surroundings of Krishna district.

The senior forest official said that already seeds have been sprinkled on hills around Vijayawada city and majority of the area has been earmarked in new capital Amaravati for greenery development only according to the plans of Singapore master plan. He also said that the government already termed the capital city as Blue-Green capital.

By Patibandla Srinivas