The Chamarajanagar district administration and the Forest department have joined hands to provide transportation facilities to the villages inside the forests, coming under Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and Hanur wildlife ranges.
Four multi-purpose vehicles will be deployed for the benefit of the tribals living in these villages. The service has been named 'Jana Mana Sarige'. If all goes well, the facility will be launched next week.
The four vehicles will cover Indiganatta, Medaganane, Mendare and Nagamale route in MM Hill range. It will also connect Kokkare, Tekane, Tokkare and Doddane via Palar. Residents of Kanchalli and Pachchedoddi, under Hanur range, will also be benefited.
The residents are denied basic facilities as the villages are located inside the forests. As there are no proper roads, the residents here are deprived of benefits of government schemes.
The children are deprived of education. There are no medical facilities in case of an emergency. There are instances when pregnant women are carried in 'dolis' to nearby hospital, walking long distances.
Deputy Commissioner Charulatha Somal visited the villages inside the forest, recently. She was accompanied by Deputy Conservator of Forest V Yedukondalu, who explained the problems and also received petitions from the residents. The DC had assured them of providing vehicle facilities.
Yedukondalu said that the vehicles will ferry children to schools also.
The maintenance of the vehicles will be handed over to the Environment Development Committee of the villages. It will not be a free ride. But, the fare would be at a concessional rate, the officials said.
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