Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Credit: DH File Photo
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called upon the people to increase forest area in Karnataka to 33 per cent.
He was speaking at the valedictory event of ‘69th Wildlife Week - 2023’ hosted by the Department of Forest, Ecology and Climate Change at the Auditorium of Karnataka Police Academy in Mysuru on Saturday.
Siddaramaiah said, “With the efforts of Forest officials, front line staff, including the Forest Guards and tribals, the state’s 20-22 per cent land area remains forest. But as per norms it should have been 33 per cent. Hence it has to be improved. At present the state has country’s highest number of 6,395 elephants and the country’s second highest of 563 tigers. Forest area is depleted due to human greed. If the forest area is depleted, animals come out in search of food and water, spoil crops, and kill people.”
Rail barricades
“So, we should prevent them from coming by ensuring they have adequate food and water in the forest areas. In order to prevent man-animal, in 2015 our Congress-led state government had decided to build 640 km of rail barricades. But at present, only 312 km rail barricades have been built, as the previous state governments have not paid much attention to it. Solar fencing works around forests are also taken up,” he said.
He said, “It is not just the duty of the government, the Forest officials and the front line staff like the Forest Guards, to conserve forest and animals, but also the responsibility of the people. In order to achieve it, the Forest department should take people dwelling in the forest fringes and tribals into confidence. People should co-exist with animals. Only when forests survive, humans survive. Only when forest and wild animals are conserved there will be good ecological balance, good rainfall, crops and people can lead a prosperous life. Along with planting saplings or seedlings, ensuring their survival is also important,” Siddaramaiah said.
Minister for Forest, Ecology and Climate Change Eshwar B Khandre said that they have a target to cultivate 5 crore trees this year and 10 crore trees next year in the State. 31 people have died due to Elephant attack alone this year. Hence, they are planning to complete the rail barricade project and they have allotted adequate funds to it, he said.
Technical report of Kokkare Bellur Bird Sanctuary and its postal stamp, documentaries on Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary and Bandipur Tiger Reserve, were released.
A wild life ambulance with GPS live tracking system for Leopard Task Force was flagged off and the equipment needed by it, were also released.
Wild life veterinarian Dr Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Mahout of Dasara Elephant Abhimanyu J S Vasantha, kavadi J K Rajanna, animal keeper Somashekar, Herjaale Balaga Cleanliness Warriors president B Lingegowda were honoured on the occasion.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Head of Forest Forces) Brijesh Kumar Dixith, PCCF (Wild Life) Maalkede Chief Conservator of Forest Mysuru Circle Malathi Priya, DCFs Saurab Kumar, K N Basavaraju and others were present.