TIME, a short film on tigers screened at RamaGovinda Rangamandira in city

Mysore/Mysuru: Former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha has said, the adivasis (tribals) share an inimitable bond with the wild since their birth. He was speaking after inaugurating the screening of TIME – a short film, followed by an interaction programme, organised on account of Global Tiger Day celebrations, by Namma Wild Wonders, at RamaGovinda Rangamandira, Ramakrishna Nagar in city yesterday.

Simha said “I was the MP of Mysuru-Kodagu Constituency from 2014 to 2024, during which, the Forest Officers were providing information related to the Man-Animal conflicts occurring at forest fringes, at the DISHA meeting.  We had discussed about the measures to be taken to mitigate such incidents. But, it is normally believed that, Forest Officers have the responsibility of preventing wild animals from straying out of the forests in search of food, while the poachers are killing the animals in the forest. But, we cannot ignore the role of Forest Officers.”

The Forest Officers posted in the wild prefer to lounge at the expense of Government, in Guest Houses allotted for their accommodation. They have failed in their duty to study scientific methods in conservation of forest and the ways to prevent wild animals, from straying out of the forest to urban areas in search of food, regretted Simha.

 “More than the Forest Officials, tribals have more knowledge about the forest. I request the authorities concerned to involve them in conservation activities, after imparting suitable training to them,” appealed Simha.

He also recalled the steps taken to create greenery in 43-km Outer-Ring Road (ORR) with the coordination of Forest Officers like Channabasappa and V. Karikalan, by planting over 8,000 saplings, including that of Neem, which have now grown into big trees. It is really pleasant to watch the beauty of those green cover during rainy season, added Simha.

“The ORR works taken up under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) was completed during my tenure as a MP. When I was elected as a MP in 2014, the works had been half-completed, even after the deadline of the project. I exerted pressure on the Central Government and got the term of the project further extended up to three years and completed the ORR works,” said Simha, recalling the arduous efforts behind the making of ORR.

He also suggested for giving more impetus to augmenting green cover of Mysuru, as a project conceived under Laksha Vruksha Yojane in Chamundi Hill, during the tenure of then District Minister S.T. Somashekar, was shelved, by the moment new Government came to power in the State. 

Simha, also expressed his disappointment against Forest Officers for continuing with the British tradition of growing more number of teak trees in the forests, rather than growing bamboo, which shall prove handy in preventing the wild elephants from straying out of forests in search of food.

Lauding the initiative of Namma Wild Wonders, to produce a short film to prevent the poaching of tigers, that has indeed come out well, Simha praised the film crew. He also recalled the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Project Tiger in the city, in 2023.

Secretary of Nrupatunga Vidyasamsthe Savitha P. Mallesh, Dr. Chandrashekar, former Chairman of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club C.S. Ravishankar, artiste Raghavendra Boodanur, wildlife expert Somashekar, Rajesh, Raviprasad and Mahesh Prasad of Rangavalli Theatre Troupe and artistes of TIME short film were present.