Mysuru: Forest Minister Umesh Katti on Friday said the barricade would be established in the forest border area of the funds received under the management of compensation funds and planning authorities (Campa) to prevent human-animal conflicts.
Speaking after inaugurating the 67th Wildlife Week program at Kakanakote Safari Center at Dammanakatte Forest Range under Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Katti said there was a request from the villagers who lived in the outskirts of Nagarahole forests and bandipur tiger reserves to establish barricades in the border area.
“I have been looking for Rs 500 Crore from Campa and is expected to be released within six months.
Baritrics will be installed phase.
Because of the pandemic, there is financial problems to take new projects.
But when the situation is normalized, the department will take work based on priority.
Barricades will soon be established, “he said.
Katti said the facilities at the safari center in Nagarahole and Bandipur would be upgraded.
He also directed foresters to clean up lantane, weeds who killed local forest fauna and also caused forest fires.
“Lantana kills the original plant species where herbivorous animals depend on the forest.
Therefore, animals deviate to human habitats to find food.
So, Lantana must be cleaned in forest areas.
While forest staff in Nagarahole have achieved good progress in cleaning Lantana, they are Being in the bandipur and Biligiri Rangathaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger reserve must take a job on the war footing, “he said.
HD Kote Mla Anil Chikkamadhu said the constituency was sandwiched between bandipur and Nagarahole which attracted many tourists.
“When the tiger population and elephants are more in this region, every year around 10 to 15 people are killed in wild animal attacks.
There is an urgent need for barricades about 120 km of forest boundary in HD Kote Taluk to prevent animal conflicts,” he said.
Head of Forest Conservator (CCF), Circle MySuru, T Heeral said the department has taken various steps that resulted in reducing animal-animal conflicts, forest fires and damage to plants by animal raids.
There is a lack of frontline workers in departments that must be increased to have better management of forest areas, he said.
Katti launched a new website, online safari backup booking facilities, GPS installations for Safari vehicles and cellular applications 2.0.
He also released a book entitled ‘Huli ID’ and checked the work of grassland development and tourist campsite.
Will use Campa funds for forest barricades: Katti
