Minister of Environment Eshwar Khandre | Photo Credit: File Photos
The Minister of the Environment of Eshwar Khandre ordered forest officials to visit the villages located on the edge of the forest and perform meetings from the complaints once a month.
Mr. Khandre chaired the meeting of the Permanent Committee of the State Council for Nature and said that officers hold a number of deputy conservator forests (DCF), forest conservator assistant (ACF) and forest officers should organize meetings once a month.
“Listen to villagers”
He said that forest officers and employees should go to villages where loss of life and crop damage were reported due to an animal conflict.
He said officials should evaluate this situation, listen to the problems of villagers, solve them and maintain good relationships with them.
After he came into contact with an illegally built electric fence, he also mentioned the death of five tigers in Mm Hills and the death of wild elephants.
He said that such incidents could be prevented if higher officials visit every forest zone and review the performance of zonal officers and forest patrol staff and motivate them.
The Minister also reviewed the proposal to double the railway line from Hosapete on Castle Rock and discussed measures to be taken to mitigate the impact of the project on the biological diversity, the environment and wildlife, and aimed at submitting a proposal for the next meeting.
Marine Sanctuary
Mr. Khandre also said that the Mugli-Apsarakonda naval shrine to be the first naval shrine of the state will be formally inaugurated in September.
The State Cabinet cleaned the proposal in June. The sanctuary is spread over 5,959 hectares, near Honnavar in the district of Uttara Kannada. A few years ago, the proposal was approved by the State Council of Karnataka for Wildlife.
Published – August 2025 9:26
