'16 hoblis of Kodagu in Western Ghat Project'

The project will be implemented only after setting right the loopholes, said Western Ghat Task Force Chairman Ananth Hegade Ashisara.

He was speaking to the media persons after taking part in Vriksharopana programme in Kushalnagar on Thursday. Defending the identification of 16 hoblis for Western Ghat project he said that there is nothing wrong in identifying the places that are the part of Western Ghat. It is done only for the geographical mapping purpose and no regulations have been put, he clarified.

“Several grants have been released by the State and the Central government which would be appropriately utilised for the development of Western Ghats. It is the main objective of the project. The locals have many advantages and it would help them to protect the environment. There is a need to grow awareness among the elected representatives and the public about the project implementation and the Task Force is working on the same,” he informed.

Speaking about the measures to control the elephant menace, he said that as the State government is bound to work as per the regulations laid under the Central Government’s Wildlife Protection Act, it has not been possible to move on with the huge task of capturing the elephants. Yet change has taken in the form of increasing the compensation to those who have been attacked by elephant. Compensation is being distributed within 15 days of the attack, he said.

He also said that the Task Force is successfully carrying out river source campaign. The main objective of the campaign is to save bio-diversity near the river source, he informed.
Action plan will be chalked out to study the protection of bio-diversity in Chikmagalur, Hassan, Amrutha Mahal Kaval and other places.

Vriksharopana programme

Western Ghat Task Force in association with the Forest Department has launched Vriksharopan programme in all the districts to save plant and animal species and develop the forests.

Earlier in the day, Ashisara launched the programme in Kodagu Circle near the Forest Department.