Adilabad:The tiger corridor forest areas of KB Asifabad district which have been at the centre of protests from political parties demanding the rescinding of G.O.49 which accorded the status of a ‘conservation reserve’ to 1492.8 sq km of fragmented forest patches, have had a chequered history in term of their protection status.Originally considered as a possible ‘extended or satellite core’ of the Kawal Tiger Reserve which the corridor forests are hoped to allow tigers to move into passing through these areas, the then government gave up this idea in favour of ‘conservation reserve’ status which does not affect the lives of people in the existing 339 villages in these forest patches.The ‘Komaram Bheem Conservation Reserve’ had been a long time in the making and the hope was that it would provide a safe passage for tigers into Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana from animals moving into the state from the Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra.The conservation reserve proposal was discussed during the BRS government rule, and had support of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). While forest department officials say that all political parties and their leaders were on board during and after the long consultation process before the conservation reserve orders were issued, parties cutting across the spectrum are now demanding that there should be no conservation reserve, and this is being seen as making efforts not to lose public support in the forthcoming elections to local bodies.Khanapur MLA Vedma Bojju of Congress, also a member of the State Board for Wildlife said the BRS MLA Kova Laxmi was a member of SWBL when the conservation reserve proposal was discussed and a decision taken in its favour by the Board. He also said that BJP leaders and MLAs and MP from Adilabad should not forget that in 2022, the NTCA also asked the Telangana government urgently declare some parts of corridor landscape as conservation / Community Reserve which could be developed and integrated with Kawal Tiger Reserve as satellite core.Meanwhile, on July 30, 2025, Adilabad BJP MP Godam Nagesh raised the issue of G.0. 49 in the Lok Sabha and made it clear that the Telangana government was forced to keep the orders in abeyance following huge opposition to it from the tribals and non-tribals. He alleged that the Congress government in Telangana is now blaming the Centre on this issue and trying to push the ball into the Central government’s court.Nagesh requested Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment and Forest, to issue orders to the state government to cancel the orders.InfographMaking and unmaking of a conservation reserve2016: 1st Telangana Board for Wildlife meeting on December 6 seeks to notify the Bejjur range of Kagaznagar forest division as conservation reserve for protecting endangered long-billed vultures.2017: 2nd State Board for Wildlife meeting on February 27 considers notifying the Bejjur site as a wildlife sanctuary for vultures for better protection. Proposal prepared for Jatayu wildlife sanctuary, submitted to the state government on 26-06-2018.2021: National Tiger Conservation Authority inspects corridor forests with respect to a railway line proposal, suggests forest department declare some parts of the landscape as conservation or community reserve, which could be integrated with Kawal tiger reserve.2024: 7th meeting of SBWL on February 6 discusses notification of tiger corridor area connecting Kawal and Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve, recommends creation of a conservation reserve. The meeting noted that nine tigers (five adults and four cubs) were using the area.2025: Government issues GO 49 on May 30, declaring the corridor area between Tadoba Andhari and Kawal tiger reserves as Komaram Bheem conservation reserve.2025: Government on July 21 keeps GO 49 in abeyance.
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