Uncertainty over Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali National Park’s extent
Though a Gazette notification issued in 1994 specifies the boundaries of the national park, they were fixed using compass survey, which may not be accurate as proven in the case of the Mrugavani National Park
The readjustment of the extent of the Mrugavani National Park by 80 hectares has created serious doubts about the area of another deer habitat and national park on the other end of Hyderabad.
The boundaries of Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali National Park, located on National Highway-65, too might not be accurate, as a GPS survey has not been carried out on the same.
Moreover, the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) fixed around the park partly falls onto the premises of two central government institutions, which, till a year ago, had not been aware of the same.
Without a GPS survey and demarcation of boundaries and ESZ, protection of the park is only left to a boundary wall constructed at the time of notification of the park.
As per the Gazette notification issued in 1994, Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali National Park encompasses 1,459 hectares/3,605 acres of forest land in Hayatnagar, Mansoorabad, Tatti Annaram, Kuntlur, Kuthbullapur, Harepally and Bandlaguda villages of Rangareddy district.
While the notification specifies the boundaries, they were fixed using a technique involving compass survey, which may not be accurate as proven in the case of the Mrugavani National Park, the extent of which has turned out to be only 280 hectares as against the 360 hectares mentioned in the gazette notification.
In 2017, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change notified the ESZ for the park, to the extent of one kilometre from the boundary on all sides, encompassing 40.56 square kilometres in 17 villages.
The map of the ESZ with longitude and latitude are appended in the notification, within which certain activities and industrial establishments are prohibited.
The notification acknowledges the fact that the ESZ encompasses part of surrounding government and private lands and the existing establishments therein, and specifically mentions that no new prohibited activities may be taken up.
The government land parcels in the ESZ include those belonging to the Geological Survey of India, and ICAR-CRIDA.
However, an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 to these institutions showed that no official correspondence has been made to them by the Forest department intimating the ESZ notification. No GPS survey has been conducted till now to know the extent of land coming under the ESZ, so that the prohibited activities could be prevented.
However, a reply from GSI, Bandlaguda, assures that no new structures have come up in the area mentioned in the gazette. Also, CRIDA, in its detailed reply, said no prohibited activities are being taken up in the area.
A committee was constituted in March, 2023 by CRIDA for liaison with the authorities of GSI and the national park to ensure that there is clear demarcation among the land parcels.
The subsequent report by the committee in May, 2023, however, merely says there is no boundary dispute with the Forest authorities and GSI and that the boundary was clearly demarcated by compound wall and fencing. It makes no mention of the ESZ and the need to fence it.
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