Warangal: Over 50,000 trees, spread across 50,000 hectares, were uprooted and destroyed in the Eturnagaram forest region of Mulugu district following a cloudburst and severe gale in an ecological disaster.
District Forest Officer Rahul Kishan Jadav stated that such a phenomenon is rare across the entire state of Telangana. Valuable and medicinal plants, spread over approximately 500 hectares, were uprooted, resulting in a significant loss of green cover. Fortunately, no wild animal casualties have been reported so far, even though the forest is home to endangered species such as bison and spotted deer.
The Forest Department is enlisting specialists from various fields, such as the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), the Meteorological Department, and other organisations, to investigate and determine the underlying causes.
A senior forest official noted that one reason for such widespread destruction was the lack of strong anchoring support, as trees in the region mostly had shallow root systems, which caused them to collapse.
In addition to the damage sustained, the department is somewhat concerned about restoring the green cover. The destruction has affected nearly 500 acres, and reclaiming such a large area would require considerable time, they noted.
However, with adequate moisture and nutrients in the subsoil and the River Godavari nearby, the task should not be overly difficult, a forest official added.
Meanwhile, SP Shabarish said that the police are ready to extend full support to the Forest Department as they continue their investigations into this matter.
