Resolve human-wildlife conflict through scientific approach, CM instructs officials at KDP meeting in Mysuru

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday (November 10) directed officials to find effective solutions to the human-wildlife conflict using scientific methods.

The conflict, which had claimed the lives of three farmers and grievously injured another in the region in the recent past, came up for discussion during the Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting at the Zilla Panchayat premises in Mysuru on Monday.

Questioning why tigers and elephants were coming out of the forests, Mr. Siddaramaiah suggested a series of measures to prevent this, including filling up ponds and other water bodies inside the forest with enough water, removing lantana weeds, growing fodder inside the forests, and continuously monitoring the movements of elephants and tigers that leave the forest areas.

He said a separate meeting will be called to discuss measures to prevent human-wildlife conflict and asked officials to come fully prepared with complete information and proposals to solve the vexed issue.

The officials, however, informed the Chief Minister that a helpline has already been set up and work is under way to set up a command centre.

Meanwhile, Mr. Siddaramaiah asked officials the reasons behind the rejection of as many as 5,900 applications out of the 7,000 received under the Forest Rights Act, the Deputy Commissioner pointed out that the applications had been rejected between 2019 and 2020. He also said applications that had been rejected without a clear and valid reason had been taken up for re-examination.

Forest officer pulled up

Mr. Siddaramaiah pulled up a forest official who was unable to provide correct data on the extent of social forestry in Mysuru district.

An upset Chief Minister lashed out at the official, questioning his efficiency. “Should I come to your house to collect this information?” he asked.

Meanwhile, H.D. Kote MLA Anil Chikkamadu brought to the Chief Minister’s attention that the lack of coordination between forest department officials was causing many problems.

The officials were then warned of strict action if poor coordination or dereliction of duty results in the loss of human lives.

Mr. Chikkamadu even raised problems pertaining to tribal hamlets in H.D. Kote. Though electricity connection had been provided to 16 hamlets, electricity supply has still not started, he said.

Referring to the other problems faced by the residents of haadis, Mr. Siddaramaiah directed the officials to deal with the issues with sincerity and humanity.

Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa, who is also the Minister in-charge of Mysuru district, MLAs G.T. Deve Gowda, Tanveer Sait, and T.S. Srivatsa were also present on the occasion.