Railway tracks to be fenced in Malnad

Forest Minister Satish Jarkiholi has said that measures, like installing railway track fences in the Malnad region, will be taken to prevent human-animal conflict.

He was chairing a progress review meeting of Chikkamagaluru forest circle. Nearly Rs 100 crore was announced in the state budget to construct railway track fences in Kodagu, Mysuru, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Bannerghatta. The project will be implemented in different phases through four years.

MLA Kumaraswamy M P criticised the government decision to hand over the land in Kudremukh to the Forest Department towards the Hubballi – Ankola railway line, saying the Kudremukh Township should be retained with the Revenue Department and the land should be provided to the homeless.

Water pipeline

MLA Belliprakash said that the work on the Vagarehalli drinking water pipeline in Kadur taluk was stalled due to non-cooperation from the Forest Department. He said that the files for the Upper Bhadra Project were pending for disposal in the Department.

Birur Town Municipal Council president Savita Ramesh alleged that the Forest Department had raised an objection to sanction a 10-acre site in Birur meant for solid waste management. She requested the minister to direct the Forest Department to allocate the land for the proposed work.

Other elected representatives submitted similar pleas during the meeting.

Punati Shridhar, chief conservator of forests, said that the permission should be obtained from the Forest Department before preparing the DPR.

Deputy Commissioner Bagadi Gautham was present at the meeting.