Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Apr 1: Sahyadri Sanchaya, a group of environmentalists that has been fighting for the cause of Western Ghats and opposing the controversial Yettinahole project, on Friday April 1 expressed concerns over increasing incidents of forest fires in the Western Ghats, and said that most of them were due to man-made causes.

Addressing a press meet here, convenor of Sahyadri Sanchaya Dinesh Holla said, "Several hectares of forest land have been destroyed in wildfires in the Western Ghats. The fire has destroyed the Shola forest and also harmed the wildlife. Usually such fires take place during peak of summer in April or May, but this time the fires started from the month of January itself.

"Western Ghat regions of Balegudda, Jenukal, Dodderibetta, Hosamanegudda, Ramanabetta, Minchinakallu, Somanakadu, Anivuru forest, Ambattamale and Barimale have been destroyed in the fires. In some areas it was natural forest fire, but in most places it was man-made by estate mafia or the ganja mafia who illegally enter into forests," he said.

"When the forest department is informed in case of a fire, it does not have enough facilities to douse the flames. The department does not have sufficient personnel or guards. This is a failure of the forest department. It has not taken any action to recruit personnel or to upgrade the department with advanced equipment. This wild fire has also affected the elephant corridor and led to increased man and animal conflict," he added.

"Moreover, the forest land has been encroached by the estate mafia. They have planted crops like coffee and rubber after chopping precious trees of the Western Ghats, and no one has questioned them. They have also put up electric fences which has created problems to the wildlife. Several animals have died as a result. Also, trekkers who enter the forest zone in these places throw plastic and alcohol bottles, thus creating harm not only to environment but also to animals.

"Recently when we took up cleaning activity at Gadaikallu in Beltangady, we collected 21 bags of plastic and alcohol bottles which were thrown by trekkers. The state government is holding programmes for school children to create awareness on forest and environment, but instead, it should create awareness among college students," Holla said.

In Bidiretale, the villages were engaged in agriculture but now they have stopped cultivation because wildlife is disturbing them - now they are purchasing rice from shops

"Sahyadri Sanchaya has been taking up trekking tours in Western Ghats for the past 22 years, and we have seen that there has been continuous deterioration of Western Ghats due to various projects or through deforestation by estate mafias," he added.

Sahyadri Sanchaya member Shashidhar Shetty said, "In Sullia taluk alone, as many as 4,400 gun licences have been issued. Hunting is rampant and innocent animals are being killed for sport. The government should not give bullet of more than 1 mm. There should be separate law for this. If it is to protect agriculture, gun should be used only to scare or drive away animals but not to kill them. Animals are not getting food because of man-made disasters and there is no drinking water either in some parts inside the forests."