Frustrated with the continuing elephant attacks and resultant loss of life and crop, as many as 416 farmers cultivating 2,361 acres of land abutting forest area in Sakleshpur taluk agreed to relinquish their land for the proposed elephant corridor. But, the bureaucrats are in no hurry to acquire the land, rued Attihalli Devaraj, president Hassan Wildlife Society (HWS), an association formed to protect the interests of farmers and animals.
Man-animal conflict, he said, has grown in Hassan district. As many as 32 people died in the last 10 years and rampaging of elephants has destroyed crops worth several crores of rupees.
Some six months ago, the Hassan Wildlife Society (HWS) appealed to Minister for Forests C.P. Yogeshwar to acquire the 2,361 acres of land for the proposed elephant corridor. When Mr. Yogeshwar visited Sakleshpur in October, farmers from 11 villages, including Harani, Hadlagadde, Mankanahalli, Boranamane, Kagineri, Attihalli, Bettakumari, Balehalla, Arani and Yettinahalla Bajimane met him and volunteered to part with their land for the purpose.
The Minister directed Principal Secretary, Department of Forests, Environment and Ecology, Koushik Mukherjee, to discuss the issue with the Deputy Commissioner of Hassan and commence the process of acquiring land by paying suitable compensation to farmers. Following this, DCF Hassan Ambadi Madhav wrote to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B.K. Singh explaining the situation. In December, he sent a proposal to acquire the land after verifying the documents of private landholders. Farmers had also submitted letters of consent to the Forest Department for the acquisition. However, the Government is to act on the proposal.
Speaking to The Hindu ,Mr. Devaraj said the construction of the Hemavathi dam, setting up of mini-hydel projects, the Mangalore-Hassan pipeline of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. have all eaten into forest areas and affected the elephant corridor. He pointed out that since farmers have consented to part with their land, the Government should acquire the land and compensate the farmers in a ‘suitable' way. But the Government was apathetic to expedite the process, he said.
‘Government serious'
When The Hindu contacted the Principal Secretary, Department of Forests, he said the Revenue Department was negotiating the quantum of compensation with the farmers. The Government is serious in expediting the process, he added.
