MYSURU: Forest minister Umesh Katti on Friday said barricades will be erected on the forest border areas from funds received under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) to prevent human-animal conflicts.
Speaking after inaugurating the 67th Wildlife Week programme at Kakanakote Safari Centre at Dammanakatte forest range under Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Katti said there is a demand from villagers living on forest fringes of Nagarahole and Bandipur Tiger Reserves to erect barricades at the border areas.
“I have sought Rs 500 crore from CAMPA and it is expected to be released within six months. The barricades will be installed in a phase manner. Due to the pandemic, there were financial problems to take up new projects. But as the situation has normalized, the department will take up the work on priority basis. The barricades will be erected soon,” he said.
Katti said the facilities at safari centres at Nagarahole and Bandipur will be improved. He also directed foresters to clear lantana, a weed which is killing the local forest fauna and also causing forest fires.
“Lantana is killing native species of plants on which herbivorous animals depend in the forest. Hence, animals are straying into human habitats in search of food. So, lantana must be cleared in forest areas. While forest staff in Nagarahole have achieved good progress in clearing lantana, those in Bandipur and Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve must take up the work on war footing,” he said.
HD Kote MLA Anil Chikkamadhu said his constituency is sandwiched between Bandipur and Nagarahole which attracts lots of tourists.
“As the tiger and elephant population is more in the region, every year around 10 to 15 people are killed in wild animal attacks. There is an urgent need to barricade around 120km of forest borders in HD Kote taluk to prevent human-animal conflict,” he said.
Chief conservator of forests (CCF), Mysuru circle, T Heeralal said the department has taken up various measures which resulted in reduction of human-animal conflicts, forest fires and crop damage by animal raids. There is a shortage of frontline workers in the department which has to be increased to have better management of the forest areas, he said.
Katti launched a new website, safari online reserve booking facility, GPS installation for safari vehicles and 2.0 mobile application. He also released a book titled ‘Huli ID’ and inspected the grass land development work and tourist camp office.
