Steps will be taken for development of Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Gundlupet/Saragur: “Necessary steps will be taken for the development of Bandipur Tiger Reserve Forest,” assured Forest Minister Umesh V. Katti yesterday.

He was speaking at a press meet after inspecting developmental works undertaken at Bandipur. The Minister said that works such as construction of check dam and clearing of Lantana weeds were underway at Bandipur Forest besides stating that he had inspected the  ongoing works.

Pointing out that establishment of an Elephant Camp at Budipadaga in B.R. Hills Tiger Reserve could not take off following COVID pandemic, he said that as the construction of the elephant camp has been announced in the budget, the same will be established soon.

“After I became the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, I have cancelled 13 lakh illegal ration cards which were given to income tax payers and Government employees. No action has been taken against 22,000 Government employees who had obtained ration cards illegally, but fines have been collected from them. There are 4 lakh new applications for ration cards and the applications are being looked into,” Umesh Katti said and later visited Rampura Elephant Camp.

Karnataka stands second in the conservation of tigers. There are a total of 6,800 elephants, 560 tigers and 400 leopards in all reserve forests of the State.

State Wildlife Board Member Malleshappa, Food and Civil Supplies Department Joint Director K. Rameshwarappa, Bandipur Project Tiger Director Ramesh Kumar, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) K. Paramesh, DCF Malathi Priya and others were present at the press meet.

Protect Bandipur from forest fires

Pointing out that Bandipur Forest was devastated in forest fire in previous years, Minister Umesh Katti said that he has instructed Forest officials to take steps to prevent forest fires in Bandipur.

Speaking to media persons after visiting Nugu Wildlife Range and inspecting Rampura Elephant Camp, the Minister said that a scheme has been formulated to reward the forest staff who works the most to protect the forest.

Stating that a project to install 176 km-long rail barricade has been formulated to protect Bandipur Forest, he said that 50 percent of the works have been completed. “Also, an inspection was conducted to know the status of preventive measures taken to protect Bandipur from fire and instructions have been given to Forest officials to protect the forest,” he added.

“There was an appeal to install 15 km-long rail barricades in Nugu Wildlife Range and the same has been installed for about 5 km. The remaining works will be completed soon,” Umesh Katti said.

Meanwhile, a group of villagers met the Minister and explained about the problems being caused by wild animals which were destroying their crops. They told the Minister that the compensation being provided was very less and that too comes after too much of delay.

They appealed to the Minister to provide compensation according to the present market price of the crops and also install rail barricades in Nugu Wildlife Range to prevent wild elephants from entering human habitats and destroying crops and properties.

Plea to start safari in Nugu limits

Mahesh, a villager appealed the Minister to start safari in Nugu limits and added that a memorandum in this regard has been submitted to the Forest Department, besides stating that the financial condition of villagers would improve if safari is started in Nugu.

Clear buildings inside the forest

Meanwhile, a group of villagers said that there were many buildings inside the forest and expressed ignorance whether these building were legal or illegally built. Pointing out that one of the buildings inside the forest belonged to a former Minister as per the information they had received, they said that 10 to 15 vehicles enter into the forest every day, which was disturbing the wildlife.

The villagers appealed to the Minister to take action and get the buildings demolished if they were constructed illegally.

Following the appeal by the villagers, Minister Umesh told them that he would look into commencing safari at Nugu and added that he would inspect the documents pertaining to the buildings inside the forest and take action.

Bandipur Project Tiger Director Ramesh Kumar, ACFs Ravi Kumar and Naveen and others were present.

Steel ropes planned to control menace of wild elephants

Rail barricades are very important to prevent wild elephants from entering villages in forest borders. But as there is a delay in the availability of rail barricades, there are plans to install steel ropes which are being done in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. It is intended to install 600 km rail barricades in the reserve forest area and as of now, 180 km rail barricades has been installed. There is a shortage in the availability of rail barricades and also they are costly. It will cost Rs. 1.5 crore to install rail barricades for one kilometre, but installation of a ropeway fence for 1 km can be taken up at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh and the Government is thinking on it, said Forest Minister Umesh V. Katti.