Karnataka govt to form Chief Secretary-led committee to get approvals from forest department

CM Bommai directed officials to create awareness on agroforestry which will improve soil fertility and enhance the green cover

Aimed at obtaining necessary approvals from the Forest Department for various developmental works, the state government on Wednesday resolved a form a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary. Holding a review meeting of the Forest Department, CM Basavaraj Bommai directed the officials to form a committee.

Along with the Chief Secretary, the committee will include Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Deputy Conservator of Forests and other district-level officials. The committee is expected to grant approvals to the project within a stipulated time.

Referring to a study carried out by the ISEC (Institute for Social and Economic Change) CM Bommai told officials to evaluate the extent of environmental degradation in the last five years and hold programmes to reclaim such degraded patches of land based on the ISEC report. "Environment and Economy must go hand-in-hand and supplementary to each other. We need to plan for an environment focussed budget," Bommai reportedly told officials in the meeting.

Noting that afforestation has several benefits, the CM directed officials to create awareness on agroforestry which will improve soil fertility and enhance the green cover. "The agroforestry will spur non-agricultural activities besides assuring fodder and food for people as well as the livestock. We can make use of grants under the watershed development programme to meet this target," CM directed the officials.

Bommai also directed the officials to speed up rail barrier fencing along the forest areas to prevent man-animal conflict. Forest minister Umesh V Katti, Forest Development Corporation Chairperson Tara Anooradha, Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar, ACS Forest, Environment and Ecology Jawaid Akhtar, CM's Principal Secretary Manjunatha Prasad were present during the review meeting.

Watch latest videos by DH here: