Telangana Notifies Kothapally Compensatory Afforestation Area as Reserve Forest

The Government of Telangana, through its Environment, Forests, Science & Technology Department, issued a significant notification, GO.Ms.No.64, on June 24, 2025, formally declaring a specific land parcel in Jayashankar Bhupalpally District as a Reserve Forest. This instrument, titled "RESERVATION OF FOREST BLOCK - JAYASHANKAR BHUPALPALLY DISTRICT - RESERVATION OF KOTHAPALLY COMPENSATORY AFFORESTATION FOREST BLOCK TO AN EXTENT OF AC.26.18 GTS. (OR) 10.704 Ha. IN SY.NO.1196/1/2 OF KOTHAPALLY VILLAGE, BHUPALPALLY MANDAL & DIVISION, JAYASHANKAR BHUPALPALLY DISTRICT, KALESHWARAM CIRCLE UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE TELANGANA FOREST ACT, 1967 (ACT NO.1 OF 1967) READ WITH SECTION 4 OF THE INDIAN FOREST ACT, 1927 (CENTRAL ACT NO.16 OF 1927)," came into force upon its publication in The Telangana Gazette on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The primary reason for this declaration stems from the need for compensatory afforestation, where this land was transferred to the Forest Department to offset the diversion of an equivalent forest area for a developmental project. Specifically, 10.704 hectares of forest land in Tadicherla Reserve Forest of Bhupalpally Division had been diverted in favour of TSGENCO for the construction of a belt conveyor corridor, intended for the transportation of coal from the Project Tadicherla-1 Coal Block to the KTPP Project.

The notification, exercising powers conferred by Section 4 of the Telangana Forest Act, 1967, read with Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, constitutes this land as a Reserve Forest. A crucial aspect of this declaration is the appointment of the Forest Settlement Officer, Bhupalpally, to manage the process. The legislation provided: “...the Government of Telangana hereby declared to constitute the land (transferred to Forest Department in lieu of Diversion of Forest land of 10.704 ha. in Tadicherla Reserve Forest of Bhupalpally Division in favour of TSGENCO for constructions of belt conveyor corridor for transportation of coal from Project Tadicherla-1 Coal Block to KTPP Project) within the boundaries specified in the schedule below as a Reserve Forest under the said Act, and appoints the Forest Settlement Officer, Bhupalpally in this regard to said land to consider objections, if any, and to enquire into and determine the existence, nature and extent of any rights claimed by or alleged to exist in favour of any person in or over any land comprised within such limits, or to any forest produce of such land and to deal with the same as provided in Chapter-II of the said Act held by the said Forest Settlement Officer.” This officer is tasked with considering any objections and inquiring into and determining the existence, nature, and extent of any rights claimed by or alleged to exist in favour of any person over the land or its forest produce, as per Chapter-II of the Telangana Forest Act, 1967. The designated area spans 26 acres and 18 Guntas, equivalent to 10.704 hectares, located in Survey Number 1196/1/2 of Kothapally (SM) village, Bhupalpally Mandal. The notification meticulously details the geographical coordinates and distances defining the boundaries of the newly reserved forest block, ensuring precise demarcation. It explicitly states that no enclosures or rights of way are admitted within this proposed Forest Block.

The legislative intent behind this notification is to uphold the policy of environmental conservation and ecological balance, particularly in the face of industrial development. The establishment of the Kothapally Compensatory Afforestation Forest Block addresses the statutory requirement to compensate for forest land diverted for non-forest purposes, such as the TSGENCO project. This action reinforces the existing statutory framework provided by the Telangana Forest Act, 1967, and the Indian Forest Act, 1927, which mandate the protection and management of forest areas. By formally declaring this land as a Reserve Forest, the government aims to mitigate the environmental impact of the diverted forest land and ensure the long-term sustainability of forest cover. The appointment of a Forest Settlement Officer is a critical enforcement mechanism, designed to systematically identify and adjudicate any pre-existing rights or claims within the designated area. This process ensures that the transition of the land into a Reserve Forest is conducted with due legal diligence, preventing future disputes and securing the land for its intended ecological purpose. This measure introduces new obligations for the protection of this specific land parcel, transforming it into a legally protected forest area where activities are strictly regulated under forest laws.

Keywords: Telangana Forest Act, Indian Forest Act, Reserve Forest, Kothapally, Bhupalpally, Compensatory Afforestation, Forest Department, TSGENCO, Forest Settlement Officer Geo Tags: India, Telangana District: Jayashankar Bhupalpally