Collector’s letter over Devanoor forest lands sparks outcry in Hanamkonda

District Collector's directive allowing possession of forest land by pattadars sparks controversy among environmental activists and politicians in Hanamkonda.

The District Collector’s proceeding directing the Forest department not to obstruct the possession of 43.38 acres of land by pattadars in parts of the Devanoor forest, the only major lung space for the entire Hanamkonda district, has triggered strong reactions from environmental activists and others.

Expressing concern over this directive, environmentalists argue that allowing cultivation or other activities on the patta land would harm biodiversity since the land lies inside the forest area and suggest that the government either allot the same extent of land or provide suitable compensation to the pattadars.

Alleging that pattas were issued illegally to many individuals, they demanded a detailed probe by a retired judge before declaring the Inuparathigutta forest block (Devanoor forest area) a Reserve Forest (RF) at the earliest. The forest area spans across Dharmasagar, Velair, Bheemadevarapally and Elkathurthy mandals and is rich in biodiversity, hosting several species of flora and fauna.

Collector P. Pravinya’s directive dated March 27, 2025 noted that certain survey numbers (213, 214, 215, and 216) of Mupparam village and 403 and 404 of Devanoor village in Dharmasagar mandal, were private patta lands that were allegedly occupied by the Forest department, where plantations had been raised.

The Collector, citing verification of land records including Sethwar, Pahani, and draft proposals for Reserve Forest (RF) notification, stated that these lands did not fall under the proposed Inuparathigutta Forest Block and asked the Forest department to vacate 43.38 acres, excluding 18.17 acres under Survey No. 213 which is under a stay order.

The letter also referred to a representation made by Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari, requesting intervention in the matter. This has invited criticism from Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders. Former MLA T. Rajaiah alleged that Mr. Srihari and his family were attempting to encroach upon forest land, a charge Mr. Srihari denied at a press conference in Hanamkonda on Tuesday, offering to resign if proven guilty.

Vana Seva Society (VSS), an NGO led by Potlapally Veerabhadra Rao and former DFO K. Purushotham, argued that the land in question has remained under forest cover for decades and that pattadars were never in possession. They also criticised the reported tree felling in response to the order. They are demanding that the entire 3,950-acre Inuparathigutta Forest Block be notified as a Reserve Forest under Section 4 of the Telangana Forest Act, 1967 as Reserve Forest (RF) to protect it from land grabbers.