Hyderabad: A day-long bandh brought life to a standstill across the erstwhile Adilabad district on Monday as tribal groups protested Government Order 49, which declared 1,492 sq km of forest as the Kumram Bheem Tiger Conservation Reserve.
Shops, schools, petrol pumps, and theatres remained shut in Adilabad, Nirmal, Kumram Bheem Asifabad, and Mancherial districts following the call by Tudum Debba, a tribal rights outfit. TSRTC buses stayed off roads as protestors blocked depots, forcing drivers and staff to remain inside under police protection. Commercial centres across the region wore a deserted look.
The CPI and CPM joined the protest, accusing the State government of attempting to displace tribals from 339 villages in the name of conservation. Leaders from both parties demanded immediate withdrawal of GO 49, calling it a veiled move to alienate tribal lands.
The government order, issued on May 30, reclassified the forest corridor of the Kawal Tiger Reserve into the Kumram Bheem Tiger Conservation Reserve, spanning 78 forest blocks in Kadamba, Bejjur, and Garlapet mandals areas where tiger activity has intensified in recent years.
Tudum Debba has opposed the order since its notification. The group launched its agitation on July 5, organising campaigns and protests. It plans to submit resolutions opposing the reserve to local forest and revenue officials on July 14.
