News by Shubhalakshmi Kadekar
Daijiworld Media Network – Hebri (RD)

Hebri, Apr 24: The convention of Kundapur range Village Forest Committees (VFC) was inaugurated at Anantapadmanabha auditorium, here on Tuesday April 24. Western Ghats task force chairman Ananta Hegde Ashisara inaugurated the programme here on Tuesday morning.

Speaking at the occasion, Ananta Hegde said that there is the need to appoint foresters and guards to protect the forests located along the coast. The mangroves in the coast need to be conserved to avoid soil erosion by floods during monsoon season. The workshops on conservation of forests were held in a few areas across the undivided Dakshina Kannada district and 9 districts across the state. 

Rs 4 crores crore were spent on protecting vegetation in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.  The infrastructure developments are arisen in forest department to work effectively. VFCs that are formed in different villages including Someshwar forest reserve, Kollur are  working in conserving medicinal plants and also creating awareness on the significance of nature’s bounty. The plans are under way to
conserve water bodies with the leadership of VFCs.  Rs 5 crore has been distributed to VFCs so far in the state.  Rs 3 crore will be allocated to VFCs in this year, to spend on solar energy, smokeless kilns, to set up a small office for VFC and other infrastructure.  Rs 4 crore each has been spent on green cover project in Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts, said Ananta Hegde.

Manjunath Poojary, Gulibettu Suresh Shetty, Jayakar Poojary, professor B M Kumaraswamy, S Shantappa, A Ganesh and others were present at the occasion.