Cabinet to decide on declaring tiger reserves: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday that the State government was committed to declaring the Cauvery and the Male Mahadeshwara wildlife sanctuaries in the district as tiger reserves.

The chief minister was speaking to reporters at the helipad in Kollegal, before leaving for Kuntur to inaugurate the Bannari Amman sugar factory. 

Siddaramaiah clarified that the government had not shown disinterest in recognising the sanctuaries as tiger reserves. He said a decision in this regard would be taken at the Cabinet meeting after discussing the issue.

The chief minister said that it would not be possible for the government to take a decision on the issue of payment to farmers by the sugar factories, till the High Court passes a verdict on a petition by sugar factory owners.

The owners have approached the court against the price fixed by the government for 2013-14, at Rs 2,500 per tonne. The dues to the farmers are Rs 2,500 crore.