Int’l seminar on man-animal conflict

TNN / Jul 3, 2024, 05:45 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Mangaluru: In response to a rise in man-animal conflict in Karnataka, forest, ecology, and environment minister Eshwar Khandre said that an international conference will be held in August to find solutions to the issue.
Speaking at the launch of a social afforestation programme aimed at planting 10 lakh saplings across the state, organised by Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) and the forest department at the Salumarada Thimmakka Tree Park in Alampuri, Bantwal on Tuesday, the minister stressed on the need to protect both wildlife and human lives.

The minister attributed the increase in man-elephant conflict to a decline in forests, and the rise of commercial activities in buffer zones.
He said that Karnataka has the highest elephant population in India, with 6,395 elephants, and that the state also has 263 tigers. The prevalence of weeds has further exacerbated these conflicts, he noted.

On the importance of increasing the green cover to at least 33% of the total geographical area to maintain ecological stability, Khandre said that currently only 21% of Karnataka’s area is forested, with two lakh hectares being encroached upon.
Some districts in Kalyan Karnataka have less than 10% forest cover. He said that state government announced the planting of five crore saplings annually, with 5.4 crore saplings successfully planted last year. After auditing, geo-tagging, and third-party inspections, it was found that 80-90% of these saplings survived. However, he noted that even planting 10 crore saplings per year might not suffice due to trees being felled for development. Sustainable development is crucial to saving the environment, he added.

We also published the following articles recently

Red Cross envoy: Congo conflict has worsened with sharp increases in sexual violence and wounded
The conflict in eastern Congo escalates in urban areas, leading to increased child recruitment by armed groups seeking replacements. Children join for respect amid dire circumstances, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention to safeguard vulnerable populations and address the crisis's underlying causes.

'Catch the trap' initiative in forest areas results in seizure of 3810 traps to kill wildlife
Efforts to protect wildlife have led to the seizure of thousands of traps and snares. Chief Wildlife Warden M C Pargaien supervised the confiscation of materials, including live electric wires causing human fatalities. Such incidents have resulted in the deaths of several individuals, prompting a public call for reporting and prevention measures.

Protectors of Gir forests to get training on wildlife crimes
Rajkot foresters undergo arms training to combat illegal lion shows in Gir National Park. The program aims to enhance staff abilities and improve conviction ratios in wildlife-related cases, addressing the increasing number of reported incidents in the area.

End of Article