BENGALURU: Forests, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre on Thursday said he will write to the southern states and take a delegation to New Delhi to demand that the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change release the state’s share of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds.
He told the media that CAMPA funds are needed for mitigating man-animal conflict, erecting rail barricades and other works. However, due to lack of funds, most of the works are delayed. He said the state needs Rs 1400 crore of the sanctioned CAMPA funds.
During the elephant census report release in August 2024, when a meeting of southern states was held in Bengaluru, ministers and officials had agreed to form a delegation and take a team to Delhi. The team was led by the Kerala forest minister. However, nothing moved forward. The meeting was chaired by ministers and officials from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Jharkhand.
Taking note of this, Khandre said he will take the lead and write to ministers of southern states and take a delegation to Delhi, demanding the CAMPA funds be released.
Pertaining to the issue of night traffic ban on NH-212 passing through Bandipur Tiger Reserve, connecting Mysuru and Wayanad, Khandre said traffic movement is banned from 9pm to 6am.