The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has held that allotment of land or grant of temporary lease to certain persons by the district administration of YSR district in some survey numbers in Nandyalampet village recorded as ‘forest’ in the revenue forest (conservation) Records were not valid without obtaining no objection under the Act.
The NGT directed the Andhra Pradesh government to take appropriate steps to obtain clearance from the authorities concerned, which in turn has been asked to consider such an application only after considering certain aspects. These include considering the question of whether forest lands are permitted under section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act for non-forest purposes such as agricultural works, the proximity of these lands to the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary” (which includes the whole of Lankamalla). and the Lankamalla Extension Reserve Forest) and the ‘Tiger Corridor’.
The NGT said the Tiger Corridor connects Nagarjunasagar Tiger Reserve (NSTR), Srisailam with Sri Venkateswara National Park (SVNP), Tirupati. “Therefore, diversion of this area for agricultural purposes may increase the possibility of human-animal conflict,” the bench said.
It directed that the current tiger population and the growth trends in tiger population should be taken into account and whether the expansion of the sanctuary area and corridor should be done to meet the growing needs of the tiger population and facilitate seamless movement of tigers. There is no need to widen.
“If the State of Andhra Pradesh does not wish to apply for any clearance, they are directed to transfer the persons who have been given temporary leases to any other area/land on which the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 has not been extended and till then, no permanent activity to disturb the nature of the disputed land should be undertaken by the persons in its possession,” the bench directed.