'State to follow S Africa's model to check wild jumbo menace'

Minister for Forests, Environment and Ecology Ramanath Rai has said that the state government will take a few valuable decisions on finding a permanent solution to the wild jumbo menace in the region.

After receiving a memorandum on Tuesday from members of the Hassan District Planters' Association who sought a solution for the man-animal conflict, he said that there are more than six lakh wild jumbos in the state.

"It has become a big challenge for the state government to find measures to check the jumbos which have been causing loss of lives and properties.

"The government has taken the issue seriously and is chalking out plans to find a permanent solution. It is trying to follow the population control methods that are being followed in South Africa," the minister said.

A project for setting up an Elephant Sanctuary at Doddabetta, Alur taluk, on the backwaters of Hemavathy River, is in progress. The state government also wants to set up an elephant corridor in Bisile Reserve Forest. It is awaiting approval from the Union government, he said.

He pointed out that there is no provision to translocate all elephants as demanded by the people and elected representatives.

In all, 10 lakh acres of deemed forests have been revised and brought down to three lakh acres. In Hassan district, 22,000 acres of deemed forest have been brought down to 13,000 acres, Rai said.