CM Siddaramaiah directs Forest Dept. to speed up rail barricading project

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday directed the Forest Department to speed up the process of installing railway barricades to mitigate human-elephant conflict in the State.

The Chief Minister, after paying respect to martyrs on the occasion of the National Forest Martyrs’ Day 2025, said that as Karnataka has the highest elephant population in the country, it witnesses a large number of human-elephant conflicts with some of them resulting in loss of human lives.

“In order to prevent this conflict adequate railway barricades should be installed and they should be maintained properly. We have already installed 410 km of railway barricades. The department should speed up the process of installing them in the remaining areas,” he said.

He said that the Forest Department has enough money and if necessary, the government is ready to provide financial support.

Mr. Siddaramaiah instructed senior officials to visit the forest whenever possible and stay in the forest more. “Only if senior officials visit the forest regularly will the lower-level staff stay inside the forest and perform their duties effectively, “ he said.

He called for increasing the forest cover in the State, which is at present about 20% of the State’s geographical area. “Karnataka has the highest number of elephants in the country, and it ranks second, with regard to the tiger population. Along with this, we need to increase the forest cover in the State. There should be abundant food and water for the wild animals in the forest areas. If this is available in their immediate surroundings, then they would not venture out,” he said.

In Karnataka, so far 62 Forest Department personnel have laid down their lives while on duty. “It is very important to remember forest martyrs who have laid down their lives. But it is equally important to ensure that no lives are lost,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.