MADIKERI: Ramalinga Reddy, Minister of Forest, Ecology and Environment, said the state government will hold a special meeting on Monday to find a resolution to the proposed Kasturirangan Report.
The minister, who heard the grievances related to wildlife conflict in Kodagu from the various communities and organisations in the district, assured to hold meetings with the revenue minister and the Chief Minister to find a permanent solution.
Speaking to the media after heading the grievance meeting, he said that several key issues in the district concerning the forest department have been highlighted by the various organisations.
“The wild elephant and tiger conflict, Kasturirangan Report, the need to establish an elephant corridor, request for increase in wildlife compensation, section 4 issue and the revenue land issue near Harangi have been highlighted by the various groups in the district,” the minister said adding that a meeting with the revenue minister and the Chief Minister will be held to find solution to the problems.
He assured that a special meeting will be called to discuss the issues, including the Kasturirangan Report.
Meanwhile, hundreds of residents arrived at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Madikeri to highlight their grievances with the minister.
Representatives from the Kudiyara community, Communist Party of India (CPI), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Coorg Planters’ Association (CPA), Estate Workers’ Union, Labour Union and several other residents and growers living in wildlife conflict zones met the minister and submitted memorandums of their demands.
Initially, former BJP MLA KG Bopaiah spoke and gave suggestions to the state to fight the wildlife conflict. He requested the department to cancel the elephant chasing missions in the district to prevent further damages to estates of growers. He requested the state to hold a meeting and find a scientific solution to the Kasturirangan Report.
Various other issues, including the Section 4, C and D land and the need to revive Elephant Trenches, were highlighted by Bopaiah. The minister later met the farmers and received memorandums from them. MLAs AS Ponnanna, Dr Mantar Gowda, PCCF (Wildlife) Kumar Pushkar, PCCF Meenakshi Negi, Kodagu CCF Sonal Vrishni, Deputy Commissioner Somashekar S.J and other officials were present during the meeting.