Hyderabad: Md Khader Pasha, a forest beat officer from the Amrabad tiger reserve, was honoured with the Wildlife Habitat Management Award by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in New Delhi on Tuesday, marking International Tiger Day.
The award recognising Pasha’s work in protecting tiger habitats and overall wildlife conservation capped the Tiger Day celebrations in the state.
The Nehru Zoological Park held a series of activities to mark the occasion. The event, led by deputy curator M. Barnoba, included a student rally, tree plantation drive, and educational programmes. “Keeper Talks” at the tiger enclosure attracted over 1,000 visitors.
VIPs International School adopted the white tiger, Dhruva, for one year. The school handed over a cheque of `3 lakh to support the tiger’s care and feeding.
At the Telangana State Forest Academy in Dulapally, forest officials, conservationists, and students came together to discuss the importance of tigers in maintaining biodiversity. Anoop Kumar Nayak, former NTCA member and retired IFS officer, stressed that tigers are keystone species essential for the health of forests, wildlife, and even human life.
Dr Suvarna, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said tiger numbers were increasing, especially in Amrabad which now has 36 tigers.
The Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society (HyTiCoS), in collaboration with the forest department, hosted a celebration at KBR National Park. Over 571 children from 10 schools participated in a series of activities including educational talks aimed at raising awareness about tiger conservation. The theme was ‘Their Future in Our Hands’.
Elusive Leopard Surfaces at Park
Hyderabad: The leopard that had moved from Forest Trek Park near Manchirevula to the Golconda Artillery Centre has returned to the park again. It was spotted on CCTV around 3 am on Tuesday. The leopard has been moving between the two locations.
Forest officials have kept cages and camera traps in place and are monitoring the area round-the-clock. “The leopard keeps moving between the two places, which is making it hard to catch,” Chilkur forest range officer Lakshman told Deccan Chronicle. “We are trying our best.”
In the evening a video showing a leopard in a cage caused a flutter, claiming that the leopard had had been captured. The video reported — falsely as it turned out — that the leopard had been caught near Bairagiguda, close to the defence land, on Monday evening.
However, officials quickly called out the video as a fake, and that the leopard was still out in the open.
Rangareddy district forest officer Sudhakar Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that the video was fake and the leopard has not been caught yet. “The search is still ongoing,” he said and urged people in the locality to be vigilant and watchful.
The Forest Trek Park will remain closed until the leopard is safely captured and relocated, officials said.
RGIA Gets Level 1 Accreditation
Hyderabad: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) said it had received the Level 1 Accessibility Accreditation from the Airports Council International (ACI) World, for making travel more inclusive and comfortable, especially for those with disabilities or reduced mobility.
The council evaluates airports on factors such as ramps, clear signage, accessible restrooms, support services, trained staff and how the airport supports inclusive travel.
Reacting to the certification, Pradeep Panicker, CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, said, “Our goal is to make every traveler no matter their physical or cognitive ability feel welcome and supported at our airport. From infrastructure to staff training, we are committed to ensuring smooth and respectful journeys for all.”
EAPCET: 83K Engineering Seats Allotted
Hyderabad: As many as 83,521 out of 91,495 engineering seats have been allotted in the second phase of Eapcet counselling, leaving about 9 per cent of seats open, officials announced on Tuesday. A total of 96,974 candidates attended for certificate verification in Phase 1 and 2, and in the second phase 68,630 students exercised web options and 23,509 seats allotted in second phase.
Students allotted seats are advised to pay the tuition fee and complete the online self reporting by August 1 and report at their allotted college between July 30 and August 2.
Officials said 7,974 seats are left vacant. While 6,377 candidates who gave options did not receive any allotment.
In all, 6,445 candidates were allotted seats under EWS quota. Among the 178 participating colleges, 77 including five universities and 72 private colleges achieved 100 per cent admissions.
Private universities reported the highest fill rate at 99.5 per cent, followed by private colleges with 92.1 per cent. Government colleges filled only 20.7 per cent and university colleges saw 79.7 of their seats taken.
TGPCB Urges Eco-Friendly Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations
Hyderabad: Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi on August 27, the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB), following revised guidelines from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), has called for eco-friendly idol immersions to protect rivers, lakes, and ponds.
The board asked people to use clay idols instead of those made with plaster of Paris or other harmful materials. Decorations should use natural, biodegradable colours like turmeric, sandalwood (chandan), and red ochre (gerua).
Local bodies have been asked to set up artificial immersion ponds and maintain them throughout the festival period. To avoid pollution, all stagnant water in these ponds must be treated with substances like alum or lime. Solid waste from the immersion should be disposed of under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Idol makers, pandal organisers, and vendors are being encouraged to follow the new rules. Awareness drives and public education campaigns will be carried out to promote eco-conscious celebrations.
The TGPCB and CPCB will monitor the implementation of these guidelines in collaboration with local authorities.
