G. Kumar Naik, Secretary in charge of Hassan district and Managing Director of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd., here on Friday directed officers of the Forest Department to capture wild elephants that are causing huge damage to human life and agriculture crops in Alur taluk, as per court orders.
The matter came up for discussion during a review of development works here on Friday.
The Forest Department captured one elephant in November and stopped the operation, though the public expected they would be relieved of all trouble-making elephants. However, the department had permission from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to capture only the one elephant.
Deputy Commissioner V. Anbukkumar, raising the issue in the meeting, said that people in elephant-hit areas had demanded that the animals be caught quickly. Deputy Conservator of Forests Appu Rao said that higher-ups in the department would meet on January 6 on this issue. The meeting will decide on the next course of action regarding elephant capture and relocation.
The DC also raised the issue of delay in completion of the Kachenahalli Lift Irrigation Project, as the Forest Department had to be sanctioned alternative land to allow the canal work to continue in forest land. “We have already sent a proposal to the government after indentifying an alternative site in Arasikere taluk,” he said. If the proposal is approved, work on the project, which was sanctioned in 1994, would progress.
Mr. Naik said he would pursue the matter at the government level.
Mr. Anbukkumar took objection to some banks that had not sanctioned loans to beneficiaries of various schemes. Banks should simplify the process and release loans soon, he said.
