fundNew Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) The Karnataka government todayurged the Centre to allow it to use the CAMPA funds forsetting up an elephant corridor by acquiring private land inthe Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district.
The CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management andPlanning Authority) fund is used for afforestation and forestconservation purposes.
"Farmers have come forward to give 2,500 acres of landvoluntarily. This, along with the government land, can beutilised for the corridor, which will help widen the elephanthabitat," Karnataka Minister for Animal Husbandry and in-charge of Hassan district A Manju told reporters here.
"The state CAMPA fund has about Rs 300 crore and we wantthe Centre's permission to utilise that amount for acquiringthe private land," he said.
Manju said farmers were ready to sell their land as theyhad suffered a crop damage.
He added that more than 30 people were reportedly killedby elephants over the last five-six years in Karnataka.
Several representations were submitted to the Unionenvironment ministry in this regard, Manju said, adding that aseparate elephant corridor would benefit both the animals andthe farmers.
Manju was in the national capital to take up issuesconcerning Karnataka with some of the Union ministers,including Minister of Statistics and Programme ImplementationD V Sadananda Gowda. PTI LUXRC.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.