From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Sept 11: The solatium amount granted to members of the deceased families of Forest Department Martyrs will be increased from the present Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced in Bengaluru on Sunday.
The decision to increase the solatium amount is taken to ensure stability and social security of the forest martyrs, he said.
Speaking after paying respects to martyrs as part of National Forest Martyrs Day-2022 organised by the Forest Department, Bommai said his predecessor, B S Yediyurappa had hiked the solatium paid to martyrs from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.
“Our government will further increase the solatium amount from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Besides, the government will ensure appointment of martyrs’ family members on compassionate grounds and their welfare with utmost sympathy,” he said.
The chief minister said: "You protect the forests, the government will protect you."
He said Karnataka has over 4 lakh hectares of barren land and afforestation can be done to increase the forest area. There are hilly regions where native plants can be grown. The iron ore mines of Tata Company are located in Jamshedpur but there is greenery everywhere.
“When this is possible in mines why not in a hilly region? If they have will power, the forest cover can be increased and this is the best gift that can be given to the next generation,’’ he said.
Environmental budget
The chief minister said the environmental damage that will happen in one year must be rectified in the same year. Karnataka was the first state in the country to present the environment budget and Rs 100 crore has been reserved.
The Department is formulating the environment budget and the government has already given its approval for the action plan. This year, an afforestation program will be taken up at a cost of Rs 100 crore. A special plan has been chalked out by the forest department to conserve the ecologically sensitive areas.
The Department of Forest and Environment has taken special interest to protect natural resources and to minimise loss to the environment. By implementing the action plan this year, a new model will be prepared and increase the forest cover.
Striving to minimise man-animal conflict.
Minimise man-animal conflict
Bommai asked the Forest Department to strive towards reducing man-animal conflict. It is true that elephant menace is very high and the government has provided Rs 100 crore to evolve a new system in protecting people from them.
Late Forest Minister Umesh Katti had taken a lot of interest in this regard. The experiment of putting the fence was going on in Bandipur. Katti had visited all the forest areas and he never compromised when it came to discharging his duty.
“Katti never succumbed to pressure. He should have worked as Forest Minister for some more time but he left all of us suddenly. Katti's memory will be in the minds of everyone,” he said.
The chief minister said forest is not just a part of nature but a part of life. But the behavior of no relationship between forest and civilization is not correct. Forests helps in ensuring rain, crops, food and clean air. Any country which did not have forest has become a desert. But India is lucky to have forest cover and there is opportunity to grow it.
It is not possible to imagine Karnataka and other South Indian states without the Western Ghats. Most of the rivers that flow in the Western Ghats will join the Bay of Bengal. Karnataka is blessed with rich natural resources and the Western Ghats has ensured widespread rains in Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The forest cover must be increased from the current 21 per cent to 30 per cent. The wildlife come out of their habitats only due to the shortage of food and foliage. If man tries to stay in the forest, the wild animals too try to come out of the forest. The man-animal conflict must be checked on priority, he added.
Karnataka Forest Development Corporation Chairman Tara Anuradha and Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) Jawaid Akther, Principal Conservator of Forests Raj Kishore Singh and others were present.