From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Feb 4: The steep hike in the entry fee hike in Bannerghatta National Park of the City and other zoos in the State, implemented since February 1, is here to stay. There is no question of withdrawing the hike, Forest Minister C H Vijayashankar declared on Friday,  pointing out that the additional revenue due to the hike was very much necessary for maintenance of the zoos in view of their high maintenance costs.

The entry fee to Bannerghatta Park has been raised from Rs 40 to Rs 200 from February 1. However, the old entry would continue for school students, the minister said.

Bannerghatta National Park and the Mysore Zoo were earning profits and rest of the zoos and sanctuaries were incurring heavy loses every year, he said explaining that the Government wanted to partially offset the losses through hike in entry fees. In the case of crop loss incurred by wild animals, he said cent per cent compensation would be given to farmers in the case of crop loss up to Rs 25,000. But in the case of crop loss above Rs. 25,000, only 50 per cent of the crop loss would be given to the farmers in the form of compensation.

Restriction on Eucalyptus Cultivation
 
The Government has issued an order to restrict the planting of eucalypts in the State, permitting it to be raised only in moderately fertile areas in dry zones and eroded and rocky areas.  It has banned eucalyptus plantation programme in the government land in Malnad and semi-Malnad areas of the State since it created adverse environmental impacts particularly in relation to nutrient depletion and high water use. Planting of eucalyptus is restricted to degraded dry, barren and waste lands, he said.

Vijayashankar said eucalyptus would be planted in moderately fertile areas in dry zones and eroded and rocky areas along with species such as glyricidia, which checks further degradation of the soil and improves soil fertility. Eucalypts would be planted along with the native species such as kamara, custard apple, cassia siamea, honge, neem leaves, cashew, hale, tapasi, udevu, soymeda, and other native species. The Minister said eucalypt plantings can also be taken up in Joint Forest Planning and Management areas other than means of providing firewood, poles, and small timber and as means of generating income to the village forest committees.However, maintaining eucalypts nursery and growing eucalypts in any government land of Malnad and semi-Malnad areas was withdrawn with immediate effect.

Rs 1 lac, site to Salu Marada Thimmakka

The withdrawal should be strictly monitored by the respective Deputy Conservator of Forests, Vijayashankar said.The Minister said the department has decided to grant Rs 1 lakh to “Salu Marada” Thimmakka for her contributions to the forestry. A few days ago, Ms Thimmakka had staged a protest in front of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi here seeking compensation for her livelihood. A decision was also taken to allot a site developed by the Bangalore Development Authority to the family of P Srinivasan, IAS, who was killed by forest brigand Veerappan in 1991, the minister announced.