• Forest Minister Khandre moots Tiger Reserve status for MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
• Action follows recent deaths of five tigers due to suspected poisoning

Bengaluru: Following the recent deaths of a tigress and her four cubs at MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamarajanagar district, due to suspected poisoning, the State Forest Department is mulling over to take up protective measures, to enhance preventive action, mainly concerning the big cats.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre is keen on declaring MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary as a Protected Tiger Reserve and has asked the Department personnel to elicit the opinion of locals and submit a proposal, to go ahead with the plan.

This follows a meeting chaired by Khandre at his Office in Vikasa Soudha here on Tuesday, that was attended by Principal Chief Wildlife Warden and other senior officers. The Minister insisted on convening the meeting of the affected local populace, prior to drafting the proposal.

Minister Khandre also issued directions to take all precautions to prevent unnatural death of wild animals and the death of humans in wild animal attack. The responsibilities should be entrusted to respective Range Officers and the staff.

The State Forest area is spread over 40,000 square kms and it is not possible to physically guard such a vast expanse of the wild. It would be ideal to install Closed Circuit TV cameras for surveillance at the forest fringes, along with adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drone cameras to check poaching of wild animals, encroachment of forest areas and illegal felling of trees.

 A Centralised Command Centre should be set up to keep an eye on the movements of poachers, on the basis of visuals sourced through CCTV cameras, the Minister told the officers.

The Forest Officers were directed to prepare a list of vacancies and recruit the candidates. Besides, action should be taken to recruit candidates on outsource basis to meet urgent requirements. Prepare a proposal for the purchase of vehicle and equipment to protect forest cover and the wildlife, advised Forest Minister Khandre.

He mooted the idea of having a better rapport with the people living in forest fringes, that would come in handy in  protecting the forest and wildlife.

“The people and forest dwellers should be educated about the significance of forest and wildlife. The children of forest dwellers should be feted with Prathiba Puraskar and be provided skill training. Such productive activities shall motivate the forest dwellers to double up as protectors of forest areas,” explained Forest Minister Khandre.