Greens demand revoking permission to fell bamboo culms

Environmentalists have urged the authorities to revoke the permission given by them to fell and transport bamboo culms from the reserve forest in Koppa.

Bamboo trees are cut at Koosugal, Megaramakki and Basavanakote forest in Koppa forest division.

The Forest Department had issued permits for felling of bamboo for Nayakanahatti Tipperudraswamy annual fair at Challakere in Chitradurga and the livelihood of Medara community.

The Forest Department had issued permission for cutting 8,500 small bamboo culms and 44,500 huge bamboo culms. But it had not clarified whether the bamboo will reach Medara community said the environmentalists.

Bhadra Wildlife Conservation Trust trustee D V Girish, State Wildlife Board former member Girijashankar and wildlife activist G Veeresh alleged that in the name of Medara community bamboo is supplied to the commercial market to fetch a profit.

The Forest Department had failed to collect information on the details of Medara community association and their places of work.

“We are not against supplying bamboo to the Medara community for their livelihood. But the Forest Department should stop the felling of bamboo culms inside the forest. Instead, the bamboo cultivated by the Karnataka Forest Development Corporation, Karnataka Forest Industries Development Corporation, Social Forestry Department should be felled,” suggested the environmentalists.