JOIN USDevt work disfigures meadows of Amruth Mahal
The forest department’s initiative to plant saplings in Basur Amruth Mahal Kaval has marred the green pasture of the Kaval.
The Basur Kaval is surrounded by 1,000 acre land. The forest department has selected 80 hectare land and has decided to plant 3,800 saplings. The machines are being used for digging the pits to plant saplings during monsoon. A sum of Rs four lakh has been released for the purpose and the work is in progress.
When the district administration came forward to lay a road inside Basur Kaval, under Pradhan Manthri Gram Sadak Yojana in 2008, the environmentalists opposed the move and halted the proposal.
Later, the government declared Basur Kaval as wildlife sanctuary in 2011. It houses Black Buck, leopard, Hyena which are on the verge of extinct. The meadows have been providing shelter to over 200 species of birds. The natural grass grown in the Kaval has been providing food to the Black Bucks.
Environmentalists said “the forest department’s initiative to grow trees will harm affect the bio diversity of the Kaval. The digging of pits to grow saplings will destroy the natural grass. It will also affect the food chain of the wild animals.”
Normally in meadow region, only grasses and bushes are grown. Planting of fruit bearing trees will be no use. The natural grass is being damaged. As Kaval is a protected wildlife sanctuary, unscientific work can not be carried out. The proposal to plant saplings should be dropped at the earliest.
There is a need to take measures to conserve grass and wild animals, said Wildlife activist G Veeresh. Forest department officials said vigilance committee which is in charge of Amruth Mahal Kaval had released funds to the forest department to grow fruit bearing trees.