Concern over liquor bottles dumped on fringes of forest

The environmentalists have expressed concern over dumping of liquor bottles beside the road situated on the periphery of the forest in the Western Ghats region. The broken glass pieces endanger the lives of the wild animals.

Deer, bison among other animals are found in large numbers in the reserve forest area in Karkala taluk.

Dumping of liquor bottles, pose threat to their lives of the wild animals while they forage for food and water, environmentalists said.

When activists of National Environment Care Federation (NECF) visited reserve forest area near Renjala to plant fruit-bearing saplings, they found several liquor bottles inside the forest. The activists had collected all the bottles and had placed them in front of Renjala Gram Panchayat, to express their displeasure.

NECF State Secretary H Shashidhar Shetty said, “The officials should ensure that alcoholics do not go inside the forest. The dumping of bottles beside the road should also be checked. Owing to the negligence of the authorities concerned, wild animals are at risk.”

He said glass pieces pierce into the legs of wild animals. Without treatment, the animals die. Owing to the mistakes committed by human beings, poor animals lose their lives. The officials should be cautious and should initiate legal action against those who consume liquor on the periphery of the forest and dump bottles.

Shetty said, “Huge amount of liquor bottles were found in Renjala area alone. Imagine the number of bottles that might be dumped inside the forest.”

In a separate cleanliness drive carried out by Mudradi Gram Panchayat in association with Mudradi Seva Sangama Shishu Mandira, the volunteers have collected 25 bags of wastes and over 300 liquor bottles in Subbannakatte area.