<p class="bodytext">The increasing human activities in the Western Ghat stretch of Kodagu have been posing a threat to the flora and fauna of the district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Extension of tourism projects, cultivation of commercial crops after clearing the natural forests and an electric line to Kerala have resulted in the depletion of the green cover.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In its two-yearly report, Ministry of Forests and Environment has mentioned that 102 square km of the forest has been lost in Kodagu district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Environmentalists are of the opinion that excessive tourism activities such as the construction of resorts have also been the reason for deforestation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Around two years back, nearly 56,000 trees were felled for laying of the high tension power line to Kodagu, through Mysuru-Kodagu. The electric line has passed through 6.68 hectares of forest land in Madikeri and 13.80 hectares of forest land in Virajpet. Hundreds of acres of private land was also acquired for the project. The electric line was drawn through the hills, despite large opposition. The project itself has been the reason for the death of wild elephants.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A proposal for a railway line from Mysuru to Talassery is before the Railway Department which has drawn opposition from nature lovers. Environmentalists will stage a protest in Mysuru on February 18.</p>.<p class="bodytext">More than two lakh trees will be lost if Mysuru-Kushalanagara railway line is extended to Madikeri. The depleting forests will further increase man-animal conflicts. Coorg Wild Life Society members said that 40 lives were lost in man-elephant conflicts during the last three years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As the market rate of coffee and pepper have plunged, planters have been clearing the trees to construct homestays. There are about 4,000 homestays in Kodagu. Out of these only 500 are legal, according to officials.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">River Cauvery dries</p>.<p class="bodytext">As the trees on the banks of River Cauvery are cut extensively to build resorts and homestays, the groundwater level has come down, said Cauvery Nadi Swacchata Andolana convener Chandramohan. As if to support the fact, the river is getting dry even before summer.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The increasing human activities in the Western Ghat stretch of Kodagu have been posing a threat to the flora and fauna of the district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Extension of tourism projects, cultivation of commercial crops after clearing the natural forests and an electric line to Kerala have resulted in the depletion of the green cover.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In its two-yearly report, Ministry of Forests and Environment has mentioned that 102 square km of the forest has been lost in Kodagu district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Environmentalists are of the opinion that excessive tourism activities such as the construction of resorts have also been the reason for deforestation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Around two years back, nearly 56,000 trees were felled for laying of the high tension power line to Kodagu, through Mysuru-Kodagu. The electric line has passed through 6.68 hectares of forest land in Madikeri and 13.80 hectares of forest land in Virajpet. Hundreds of acres of private land was also acquired for the project. The electric line was drawn through the hills, despite large opposition. The project itself has been the reason for the death of wild elephants.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A proposal for a railway line from Mysuru to Talassery is before the Railway Department which has drawn opposition from nature lovers. Environmentalists will stage a protest in Mysuru on February 18.</p>.<p class="bodytext">More than two lakh trees will be lost if Mysuru-Kushalanagara railway line is extended to Madikeri. The depleting forests will further increase man-animal conflicts. Coorg Wild Life Society members said that 40 lives were lost in man-elephant conflicts during the last three years.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As the market rate of coffee and pepper have plunged, planters have been clearing the trees to construct homestays. There are about 4,000 homestays in Kodagu. Out of these only 500 are legal, according to officials.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">River Cauvery dries</p>.<p class="bodytext">As the trees on the banks of River Cauvery are cut extensively to build resorts and homestays, the groundwater level has come down, said Cauvery Nadi Swacchata Andolana convener Chandramohan. As if to support the fact, the river is getting dry even before summer.</p>
