Stern action follows recent incident of five tiger deaths in MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Bengaluru: Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has directed the officials to ban the entry of domesticated animals including cattle and livestock into forest areas for grazing them, in compliance with the rules and regulations.

Khandre has issued directions in this regard to Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF). Khandre has quoted the reasons listed by environmentalists in their letter to his office, where they have referred the recent case of five tiger deaths in Hoogyam Range of MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, where it was allegedly found that, the big cats had fed on the carcass of a cow laced with poisonous substance that had led to their death.

Khandre has further stated that grazing of domesticated animals inside forest areas was affecting the lush growth of forest resources. These animals feed on tender plants, thus restricting the thick growth of vegetation, as opined by the environmentalists.

With a vast number of cattle and livestock let into forest areas for grazing, the herbivores in the wild are facing lack of fodder for their own survival and the possibilities of wild animals contracting diseases from these livestock cannot be ignored.

The stymied growth of forest resources have a cascading effect on the rivers that flow through forest areas, leading to man-animal conflicts. If the cattle grazers are killed in man-animal conflicts, there is no provision as per rules of the Forest Department to award compensation in such cases.

Most importantly, following the judgment of Madras High Court prohibiting grazing of animals in Tamil Nadu forests, those living on the forest fringes in the neighbouring States are grazing their cattle in Karnataka forest areas, which is a matter of grave concern. Action should be taken to prohibit the grazing of animals in all forest areas across the State, added Khandre.