FOREST DISTRIBUTION AND AREA

Forests in West Godavari district have been organised into 50 blocks and 233 compartments for the purpose of management. For the purpose of administration, the division is organised into 5 Territorial Ranges, 21 Sections and 46 Territorial Beats. In addition to this, there are 3 Functional divisions, Special duty Sections and Special duty Beats. These divisions were reorganised during 1999 in terms of the orders of the Government of Andhra Pradesh issued in G.O.Ms.No.66 EFS&T (For.III) Department, dt. 27.5.1998 and G.O. Ms. No. 188 EFS&T (For.III) Department, dt.4.12.1998.

AREA

Most of the forests lie in the hilly agency track in the Northern and Northeastern region of the district. The total forest area of the division is 81152.76 ha. The Range, Section and beat wise distribution of forest area is as follows.

SL.NO

RANGE

NO.OF SECTIONS

NO.OF BEATS

AREA IN HA.

1

ELURU

4

9

12042.33

2

JEELUGUMILLI

4

8

14699.81

3

JR GUDEM

3

6

12532.04

4

KANNAPURAM

5

11

18601.08

5

POLAVARAM

5

12

81152.76

T O T A L

21

46

81152.76

Details of territorial distribution of forest - Appendix XVII.

Area under encroachment :

Out of 387.04 ha area under encroachment in the division, an area of 202.08 ha was retrieved. The area of 33.00 ha in Polavaram 'A' R.F which was a pre 1980 encroachment was disreserved in favour of the tribal occupants of Sunnala-gondi Village by obtaining the approval of Government of India vide Lr.No.8-36/97 F(C) MOE&F dt.23.1.1998. The balance 151.96ha is under encroachment. The details of areas under encroachment are included in Appendix IV.

Area diverted under F(c) Act, 1980 :

Forest area over an extent of 43.47 ha was diverted for non-forestry purpose under F(c) Act, 1980 for irrigation projects, the details of which are given in Appendix LXII. The non-forest area handed over for Compensatory afforestation in lieu of forest area diverted is in the initial stages of taking over and not yet notified. Hence, it is not included in the total forest area of the district. The stage of notification of corresponding area obtained for Compensatory afforestation is detailed in the said appendix.

Area with A.P.F.D.C. Ltd. :

An extent of 8147.99 ha of forest area of the division was handed over to the APFDC for raising industrial and commercial plantations and the broad details are included in Appendix III (a).

Areas disreserved :

Details of areas disreserved are included in Appendix III.

LEGAL POSITION :

Even though the legal position of Reserve Forests notified under section 16 of the Madras Forest Act, 1882 and section 15 of A.P. Forest Act, 1967 is clear, there is encroachment problem in the plain areas and podu problem in agency areas. The encroachment problem is more severe and acute in plain forest area around which thickly populated villages are situated. The problem is much more acute and severe in case of reserved lands notified under section 4 of A.P. Forest Act, 1967. Cases are booked against encroachers and podudars.

The legal status of the forest areas is as follows:

Area notified u/s 16 of M.F. Act and 15 of A.P F. Act

44 Nos

76,856.60 ha.

Area notified u/s 4 of A.P.F. Act, 1967(Reserve lands)

06 Nos

4,296.16 ha.

T O T A L

50 Nos

81,152.76 ha.

The Range wise Legal status of the forest area is tabulated hereunder.

SLNO

RANGE

Area notified under section 16 or MF Act, 1882 or 15 of APF Act, 1967.

Area notified under Section 4 of APF Act, 1967

Un notified areas

T O T A L

No.of Blocks

Area in ha

No. of Blocks

Area in ha

No.Of Blocks

Area in ha

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

Eluru

16

7916.13

4

4126.20

0

20

12042.33

2

Jeelugumilli

10

14529.85

2

169.96

0

12

14699.81

3

JR Gudem

2

12532.04

0

0

0

2

12532.04

4

Kannapuram

7

18601.08

0

0

0

7

18601.08

5

Polavaram

9

23277.50

0

0

0

9

23277.50

T O T A L

44

76856.60

6

4296.16

0

50

81152.76