'Study on Hogarekhan hill soon'

A study will be taken up on the condition of forest in Hogarekhan hill and the government has released fund for the same, informed Western Ghat sTask Force President Anant Hegde Ashisara.

Speaking to media persons, he said the study will be conducted with the help of research institutes and the project intends to scientifically study the present status of bio-diversity. The government has released Rs one lakh to carry out the special study of Hogarekhan hill which is one of the heritage site.

Hegde said “plans have been chalked out to protect the river sources including that of Sharavti, Kali, Aghanashini and Varada.

The green belt project is being implemented in the coastal district and there are plans to grow medicinal plants in Chikmagalur district. As many as 30,000 saplings are ready in the nursery for distribution.  The saplings are planted with the help of NSS students of different colleges,” he said.

Informing about the appointment of staff to the Forest Department, he said 10,000 staff were recruited to the Department in 2009-10 and 1,000 were appointed this year.

Rs 20 crore has been earmarked to provide basic facilities to the staff working in the Forest Department. Green health campaign has been initiated in the memory of the Task Force stepping into the fourth year. Programmes have been designed for preserving and passing on the knowledge of Ayurveda to the future generation.

About 15 places have been identified for preserving medicinal plants. Programmes to preserve the forest will be taken up in Shimoga and Uttara Kannada districts, he said.

Welcoming the move to declare Western Ghats as world heritage site, he said that the State should be proud for getting the international recognition for the Western Ghats.