Five months after the conclusion of Operation Black Forest—a major security offensive involving thousands of central and state forces against Naxal insurgents in the Karregutta Hills of Bijapur near the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border—the Union Environment Ministry's wildlife board has approved a significant proposal to facilitate enhanced security measures in the region. The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has given its nod to the Chhattisgarh government's plan to alter the boundaries of the Pamed Wildlife Sanctuary. This decision will pave the way for the establishment of a jungle warfare college and a battalion camping site within the sanctuary area, aimed at strengthening counter-Naxal operations.
The proposal involves a boundary rationalization whereby approximately 3,485 hectares of the sanctuary will be handed over to the Bijapur forest division, while the division will receive about 3,535 hectares in return. This land exchange is designed to accommodate the security infrastructure needed for ongoing anti-Naxal efforts without significantly compromising the sanctuary’s ecological integrity. The Chief Wildlife Warden of Chhattisgarh conveyed to the SC-NBWL during its meeting on October 29 that the boundary alteration was crucial not only from an internal security standpoint but also for improving administrative efficiency and facilitating development initiatives within the sanctuary area.
This development is particularly significant in the context of the Centre’s intensified focus on eliminating Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from affected regions. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly emphasized the government’s commitment to eradicating Naxalism by March 2026. The Pamed Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas have been severely impacted by Naxal activities, which complicate both security operations and wildlife conservation efforts. To address these challenges, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had requested 700 acres of land near the Telangana border adjacent to Tadepalli village for setting up the jungle warfare college and battalion camp. Since these facilities must be located within the sanctuary, the boundary modification became necessary.
The state authorities supporting the proposal highlighted several critical points. They underscored that the sanctuary’s current boundaries encompass areas that are geographically inaccessible due to persistent Naxal threats, making it difficult for forest officials to carry out conservation work and placing personnel at risk. The boundary adjustment, they argued, would not only enhance biodiversity conservation by enabling better management of accessible regions but also contribute to the safety of local communities and forest staff through a stronger security presence. This dual approach aims to create a more secure and stable environment conducive to both wildlife protection and human welfare.
Established in 1983, the Pamed Wildlife Sanctuary originally focused on the conservation of wild buffaloes, a species that remains a central concern in the region. The sanctuary boasts mixed forests rich in sal and teak trees, providing habitat to a variety of wildlife including gaurs (Indian bison), tigers, and leopards. However, the sanctuary’s conservation efforts have been hampered by the persistent threat of Left Wing Extremism, which has limited access for both forest officials and conservationists.
Recognizing the sensitivity of altering a protected area’s boundaries, the SC-NBWL approved the proposal with several important conditions. Firstly, it mandated that the state forest department and security agencies establish a joint monitoring mechanism to ensure that security operations and wildlife conservation activities proceed in tandem, minimizing adverse impacts on the environment. Secondly, the committee recommended that the training curriculum of the proposed jungle warfare school include a dedicated module on biodiversity conservation. This is an effort to sensitize security personnel to the ecological significance of the sanctuary and promote practices that mitigate harm to wildlife during operations.
Moreover, the SC-NBWL emphasized that non-operational movements of security forces within the sanctuary should be avoided to reduce unnecessary disturbances to the habitat. To further safeguard the sanctuary’s flagship species, the panel called for a relocation and rewilding program specifically for wild water buffaloes, alongside a long-term conservation strategy aligned with both state and central government schemes. These measures seek to balance the competing priorities of security and environmental stewardship in a challenging context.
The backdrop to this decision was Operation Black Forest, launched in April of the same year. This major anti-Naxal operation was conducted by the CRPF’s elite CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) units, alongside the District Reserve Guard, Greyhounds, and Bastar Fighters—specialized forces from the Chhattisgarh Police. The operation targeted the leadership of the Communist Party of India (