Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa forest depts to hold coordination meeting on May 15

Hubballi: Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa forest departments will hold an interstate coordination meeting at Dandeli on May 15. This is the first time that such a coordination meeting is being held among these three states.

A similar meeting of the forest ministers of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala was held in Bandipur on March 8, where the human-animal, especially conflict with elephants was discussed.

The meeting gains significance as it would give an opportunity to the departments of the three states to chalk out plans to mitigate human-animal conflict. They also plan to conserve the tiger corridor and landscape.

More than 25 delegates, including principal chief conservators of forests and senior officials from the three states, are expected to attend the meeting.

The three states have decided to broadly discuss four major issues: strengthening intelligence sharing and cooperation to develop a plan for improved information exchange; forest fire management and wildlife crime control (share best practices and strategies); coastal and marine conservation by identifying the opportunities for collaboration in safeguarding coastal and marine ecosystem and inter-state
checkpost management.

Speaking to DH, Canara Circle Chief Conservator of Forest Vasanth Reddy said currently the three states have good cooperation when it comes to wildlife conservation. “Through this meeting, we will further enhance our efforts in protecting the forests.”

The Western Ghats in the three states form a core and critical tiger habitat and conservation efforts in the protected areas will provide a contiguous area for the territorial animals. 

Naveen Kumar P, Goa Chief Conservator of Forest, said the meeting will give an opportunity to prepare plans, based on the experience, on protection measures to be taken and also to create large areas of continuous protected areas.

“We have achieved greater success in the prevention of wild animal trade and through this meeting, we will further strengthen our intelligence gathering and sharing of information,” he said. 

Maharashtra is keen on addressing human-elephant conflict that is cropping up in the Savanthwadi range. “Elephants are not indigenous species of Savanthwadi and surrounding areas. However, over the last few years, elephants have been raiding paddy and other crops in the region. We need to address the issue,” said Maharashtra PCCF (HOFF) Shailesh Tembhurnikar.

He said the three states will also discuss the tiger corridors for easy movement of tigers that will help in improving gene pool. “Maharashtra has declared 1,742 villages at the transborder areas as eco-sensitive zones that have helped them prevent large-scale destruction of trees and provide a safe corridor for tigers,” he said.

Goa Foundation member Claude Alvares said the meeting should concentrate on the de-fragmented tiger corridor. “Currently there is a restricted movement of tigers between Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra due to non-declaration of protected areas in Goa on account of political reasons. There is a need for the forest officials of three states to ensure better protection of tigers and their habitat.”