The Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Eshwar B. Khandre has said that wild animals have no State boundaries and follow their natural path in quest of fodder and prey.
Speaking to media persons here on Saturday the Minister said that an elephant which was radio collared in Karnataka had crossed over to Kerala and had trampled a person to death in Wayanad on Saturday. It was now being suggested in certain quarters that ‘’a Karnataka elephant’’ was responsible for it.
The Minister said Bandipur, Nagarahole, Mudumalai, and Wayanad are contiguous forests and it was a fallacy to describe an animal as belonging to one particular State. ‘’As these forests are connected it was their natural habitat and they move freely. Hence it cannot be suggested that an animal from one State was responsible for the death which was unfortunate,” the Minister added.
The elephant was radio collared and released into the forests in November 2023. Just because the Karnataka Forest Department had radio collared it does not mean that it was a ‘’Karnataka elephant’’, said Mr. Khandre.
The Minister said the government was committed to protecting wildlife and forests and hence it had taken measures to restrict vehicular traffic through Bandipur from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. The ban on night traffic is in place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. but for ambulances,” he added.
In reply to a question on the Nanjangud-Nilambur railway line which was being pushed by Kerala and the Railway Board had given clearance for conducting the final location survey, the minister said Karnataka had received no such proposal. The Minister also said that the ‘’#savebandipur’’ protest gaining traction on social media was based on mere hearsay and there was no proposal before the Government for the railway line survey or the elevated corridor survey.
On the mushrooming of resorts and homestays, Mr. Khandre said if there were any violations and encroachment of forests they would be cleared. But concerning buffer zone and eco sensitize zone, there were stipulations as to the kind of activity that could be pursued and these guidelines would be implemented, Mr. Khandre added.