Maharashtra govt’s proposal to exclude 17 villages from Sahyadri Tiger Reserve plan raises alarm over threats to tiger corridor and environment

Kolhapur: A proposal to exclude 17 villages from the draft Tiger Conservation Plan (TCP) of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) for 2023–24 to 2032–33 has triggered serious concern among environmentalists, wildlife experts and local residents, who fear that the move could irreversibly damage a critical tiger corridor and open the door to environmentally destructive mining activities side-stepping long-standing environmental protections.The Maharashtra forest department has forwarded recommendations to remove 15 villages from Shahuwadi tehsil and two villages from Panhala tehsil in Kolhapur district from the draft TCP, citing representations made by local public representatives. The proposal has been placed before the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).On April 17, 2026, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden of Maharashtra, M Srinivasa Reddy, formally requested NTCA to consider the exclusions during its technical committee meeting, stating that the recommendations were based on inputs from elected representatives and senior forest officials. The draft TCP is currently under the NTCA's approval process.The villages proposed for exclusion from Shahuwadi tehsil include Burambal, Panundre, Shirale Tarf Malkapur, Sonurle, Mhalasavade, Ambarde, Patwade, Man, Ukoli, Parkandale, Mandavlkarwadi, Darewadi, Parali, Ghungur and Pashvi (Kelewadi and Khotwadi). From Panhala tehsil, Bandiwade and Kaneri are listed.Conservation groups argue that the proposal overlooks ecological realities and ignores scientific evidence. The villages lie within a notified tiger movement corridor linking the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve — an ecologically sensitive landscape recognised by the NTCA as part of the Chandoli-Radhanagari-Goa tiger route. This corridor plays a critical role in tiger dispersal, breeding and genetic exchange.Environmentalists allege that the exclusions are being sought primarily to facilitate mining approvals. Once the villages are removed from the TCP and eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) framework, forest clearances that currently restrict mining would no longer apply.Sahyadri Paryavaran Bahuuddeshiya Sewa Sanstha, a registered environmental organisation, has announced its decision to file a PIL in the Kolhapur bench of the Bombay high court. The group contends that while state govt had earlier proposed keeping these villages within the ESZ, political pressure is now being applied to dilute environmental safeguards for commercial gain."Our demand is to protect the villages, hills and forests, not to exploit them," said Tanaji Ravande, head of the organisation. "Mining here will permanently damage the ecology. We want these villages to remain in the eco-sensitive zone and under the Tiger Conservation Plan."Residents from the affected villages have echoed similar concerns. Jeevan Saware, a resident of Ghungur village, said proposals for bauxite mining already exist for many villages on the exclusion list. "Laterite plateaus store rainwater and prevent water scarcity in our hilly region," he said. "Mining will destroy this natural recharge system, leading to acute water shortages and long-term environmental damage."Datta Khota of Parali village questioned the rationale behind the move. "Our village is hardly 200m from the eco-sensitive zone. There has been no demand for exclusion from the villagers. Then why is the name of our village being removed from the Tiger Conservation Plan draft? This is being done purely for money, at the cost of the environment," he said.Wildlife experts warn that weakening protection in this area could fragment tiger habitat at a time when tiger numbers in STR are showing an upward trend. As protection increases within core reserves, tigers increasingly rely on surrounding corridors for dispersal and genetic exchange.Honorary wildlife warden Rohan Bhate noted that tiger movement has already been recorded through several villages proposed for exclusion. "Radhanagari hosts breeding tigers, and this corridor is essential for their northern migration to Sahyadri. Allowing ‘red category' industries like mining here would have severe and possibly irreversible consequences for the corridor," he said.At its technical committee meeting on April 21 in New Delhi, the NTCA reportedly raised objections, asking why revisions were being introduced at this stage and why no scientific justification or ecological data had been provided to support the proposed exclusions.Experts' committee studies proposalNTCA has constituted an expert committee to re-examine the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve corridor on a scientific basis and review the proposed inclusion or exclusion of the 17 villages. The committee, headed by Jitendra Ramgaonkar, the chief conservator of forests (wildlife), West Mumbai, includes experts from NTCA, the Wildlife Institute of India, the Wildlife Conservation Trust and honorary wildlife wardens. Nandkishor Kale, AIGF from the NTCA regional office in Nagpur, Dr Bilal Habib, scientist (F) from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dr Girish Panjabi, Wildlife Conservation Trust and Rohan Bhate, the Satara honorary wildlife warden, have been invited as technical members of the committee for the meeting scheduled on Monday (April 27). Conservationists are hopeful that ecological integrity and scientific evidence — not political pressure — will guide the final decision.
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