Mysuru: “Man-elephant conflicts will be tackled in a methodical way as the conflicts had increased at villages abutting forests” said Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Forests. He was speaking to press persons after holding a meeting with Forest officials at Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram here yesterday.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that the Rs. 2 lakh compensation being paid to people who were killed by wild animals has been raised to Rs. 5 lakh.

He added that he has been apprised by the Forest officials about the necessity of maintaining the elephant corridors in forests which would prevent wild elephants straying into villages.

Continuing, the Minister said that it was proposed to discuss with botanists and experts on  eradicating lantana grown in forests which was not allowing other plants to grow.

Participating in the meeting,  P.S. Somashekar, Inspector General of Forests,National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Regional Office, Bengaluru said that about 120 tigers had died last year and contended that almost every death was of natural cause and age-related hence averring that it was not alarming.

Briefing the meeting, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Punati Sridhar said that forest fires were a big problem coupled with water shortage. He added that a multi-pronged approach to tackle the problem was being probed.  The meeting was attended by Nagarahole CCF Mainkantan, Mysuru Zone CCF P.B. Karunakar, DCF (Wildlife) V. Yedukondalu, Bandipur CCF Ambadi Madhav, Bhadra Tiger Reserve Director H.C Kantharaj, Zoo Executive Director C. Ravishankar and others.