File photo of Karnataka's Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday promised to release Rs 40 crore for building railway barricades in Ramanagar district to stop elephant incursion into the farms and human habitats.
The minister held a meeting with MLAs C P Yogeshwar and H A Iqbal Hussain in Ramanagar deputy commissioner's office to assess the situation. Khandre said that since he took over the portfolio 35 km-long barricade has been sanctioned in Ramanagar district, of which, 25-km has been completed and work was on to build the rest.
The district has seen man-elephant conflict in 85 different areas of which 40 have been identified as hotspots. Besides erecting railway barricades to prevent the incursion of the animals, the minister directed officials to evolve a system where the villagers will get alerts on elephant movement 24X7.
To a suggestion by the MLAs to form a elephant soft release centre in Ramanagara district, on the lines of the one announced in Bhadra wildlife sanctuary, Khandre said he will look into the matter.
Meanwhile, the minister directed the officials to ensure availability of water and fodder in the forest to prevent elephants from straying into human populated areas. He said that solar water pumps and borewells should be used to ensure availability of water in the summer.
Meanwhile, the minister took to task the Ramanagar social forestry deputy conservator of forest for his failure to provide details on the afforestation works taken up on the public land.