During the valedictory function of the 57th Wildlife Week Celebration, 2011, on Monday, forest minister CP Yogeshwar said traffic ban on the highway between Karnataka and Kerala, passing through Bandipur National Park, should be extended by 2-3 hours. Currently the ban is from 9pm to 6am.
“The forest department is taking all measures to increase wildlife population. I am happy that the state has the highest number of tigers,” he said.
Governor HR Bhardwaj expressed concern over the depleting forest cover because of increase in human habitation and rapid industrialisation.
“The tiger reserve in Jaipur has no tigers now because people in the mining sector have been greedy about the marble [deposits] around that area. Because of this, they have destroyed the forests... Even at the Jim Corbett National Park, there is a problem of depletion in the number of tigers,” the governor said.
The tribal people have the right to protection. “They must be relocated to wherever there is surplus land or given employment. There are so many schemes in place for them,” he added.
BK Singh, principal chief conservator of forests and managing director of Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation (KSFIC), said that the tiger estimation taken by the Wildlife Institute of India shows that Karnataka is overtaking Madhya Pradesh in its tiger reserves.
Prime minister Manmohan Singh had sent a message, addressing the challenge of preserving wildlife.
On the occasion, a book titled Human-Elephant Conflict in Mysore Forest Division was released in English and Kannada.
