Telangana proposed a notification for Mrugavani National Park in Chilkur as a eco-sensitive zone

Hyderabad: After issuing a revised draft to declare KBR as an eco sensitive Zone (ESZ) by the Ministry Of Forest And environment. Now the Telangana government proposed for notification of another green cover on Mrugavani National Park in Chilkur, as an Eco Sensitive Zone.

The draft notification that declared 3Km to 5Km as ESZ in 2015 lapsed after 545 days. Environmentalists are now expressing concern about the attempts to reduce the ESZ to 10 meters. Only to pave the way for real estate and commercial activity in and around Chilkur forest located near the twin reservoirs, Himayatsagar and Osmansagar.

Mrugavani National Park is a rich biodiversity with 600 plant species, including sandal wood, 120 bird species, 20 mammal species, like deer, sambhar, porcupine, wild bear, and 20 species of reptiles.

The lapsed draft notification said that ESZ would be 5 Km along the boundary of Mrugavani a national park, falling under GO 111 of the state government. And 32 km towards Manchirevula village in RR district. The initial ESZ touched Kokapet the hotbed of real estate activity and Narsingi village.

Environmentalist prof K Purushotham Reddy told the sources that any attempt made to reduce the Zone, will be disastrous for Hyderabad, which is already reeling under huge pollution levels.

If G O 111 is lifted and ESZ is reduced the twin reservoir will become like Hussain sagar said Mr Reddy.