‘Change Your Mindset’: CM Chandrababu Naidu Slams Forest Officials Over Public Inconvenience!

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu strongly criticized Forest Department officials during the Collectors’ Conference, accusing them of creating unnecessary hurdles and causing inconvenience to the public. Referring to incidents such as devotees being stopped at Srisailam Temple that allegedly led to a stampede the following day and the demolition of a temple in Badvel that had to be rebuilt later, the Chief Minister said such actions were unacceptable. He warned officials against acting arbitrarily and asked them to approach him or the Deputy Chief Minister if there were any issues instead of creating obstacles. Naidu said the police had become more people-friendly, but the Forest Department had failed to change its attitude despite repeated instructions.

Collectors also complained that the department was delaying approvals for development works in forest regions, including borewells, housing, and road construction in villages located within the Papikonda National Park area. The Chief Minister directed senior officials, including Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Chalapathi Rao and Forest Secretary Kantilal Dande, to find immediate solutions and warned that repeated complaints would not be tolerated. He emphasized that environmental protection and development must go hand in hand, urging officials to protect biodiversity while also ensuring infrastructure and livelihood opportunities for tribal communities. Naidu also instructed authorities to allow bamboo cutting by forest protection committees to support tribal employment and explore alternative lands for afforestation linked to industrial and mining projects.