The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : State files report on elephant conservation

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Saturday, Apr 18, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

State files report on elephant conservation

Staff Reporter

Court to monitor conservation programmes
State proposes action plan to protect wildlife

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Friday indicated that it would constitute a committee under the chairmanship of the Member-Secretary of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) to monitor elephant conservation programmes in the State.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice V.G. Sabhahit made this oral observation when it was dealing with a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition on elephant deaths in Karnataka.

When the matter came up, the State filed a report on “Comprehensive Action Plan for the Conservation of Elephants and other Wildlife in the State.” It said it was fully committed to the conservation of elephants and other wildlife and that it had proposed a time-bound action plan as per the directions of the Supreme Court to protect wildlife.

It said a Wildlife Advisory Board was constituted in 2006 under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. The board was reconstituted in March 2009 and a meeting would be convened shortly. It said honorary wildlife wardens had already been appointed.

Besides, final notification had already been issued for acquisition of land for five national parks and 21 wildlife sanctuaries. It said so far no land in protected areas had been denotified.

The report said 82,688 cattle were immunised in 2008-09 to prevent outbreak of communicable diseases among wildlife.

It as per the directions of the Supreme Court, transfer of land within a sanctuary had been prohibited for the next 50 years, except by way of succession. It said several other steps such as setting up of anti-poaching camps and elephant scaring camps, constructing barriers, special force for tiger protection, employment of tribal people and inter-State border meetings had been taken up.

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