Minister for Forests and Kodagu District- In-Charge Minister, C.H. Vijayashankar said that an integrated forest policy will be announced soon to mitigate the “man – animal conflict” in Kodagu.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Kannada Rajyotsava celebration’s at the Old Assembly Hall, in the fort premises in Madikeri, he said that eight to ten districts including Mysore, Chamarajanagara, Kodagu, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Uttara Kannada are affected by the wild elephant menace. The integrated forest policy will include all the issues relating to and arising out of, “man-animal” conflict, he added.
To a query on declaration of the western ghats Bio-sphere as a world heritage site by UNESCO. he said that the district administration will be asked to submit a report on the pros and cons of the project and local sentiments will be taken into consideration, in case the need arises, a discussion will be held with the Chief Minister and the decision of the Government will be forwarded to the Union Environment Ministry.