Coexistence with wildlife is today’s need: Eshwara Khandre

Bengaluru: Forest Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwara B Khandre opined that in the context of increase in the number of wildlife and declining forest area, it is inevitable and the need of the day for the people living near forest area to co-exist with the wild life. To convey the message of wildlife conservation, as part of the 70th Wildlife Week, which started on Wednesday, the Forest Department marched from the front of Cubbon Park to Lalbagh.

Khandre said that the role of wildlife is important in maintaining nature and ecological balance. Herbivorous animals like deer, blackbuck eat the grass and greens growing in the forest, these herbivorous animals are hunted by animals like leopard, tiger and cheetah. Thus the balance of nature is maintained.

Every creature born on this earth has the same right to live as we do. Be it wildlife, insects, birds or flora, all living things and plants have the right to live. But today many wild species are on the verge of endanger. Some are dying. Thus, the wildlife week is celebrated to create awareness about the forest among the people, he said.

Our country’s first woman Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, had vision. Thus, she enacted the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Forest Protection Act 1980. As a result, forests and wildlife remain today. He said that it would not be an exaggeration to say that if these two acts had not existed, we would have seen wild animals and forests in photographs today.

India is a hotspot for biodiversity with vast forested areas of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, a safe habitat for many animal species. India is home to 7 percent of the world’s biodiversity. It is essential to create awareness among the people to protect it. Thus, programs like exhibition, group discussion, debate competition for college students, quiz competition, collection of wildlife stamps etc. are being organized in the past. Many people participate voluntarily in this. I congratulate you all for your concern about environment, nature, forest and wildlife.

33% of the land should be forest, but only 22% of the state has green cover. Besides, after I became a minister, I cleared thousands of acres of encroached forest land. Newly 10,000 acres of land has been declared as forest. That means the extent of forest area in the state is increasing.

As forest cover decreases, human-wildlife conflict increases. It is equally important to prevent encroachment of forest area. The government is working hard in this regard. Clearing forest encroachment after 2015. We have advised those who have encroached less than 3 acres, including patta land, not to be encroached until an alternative arrangement is made. But some vested interests are trying to spoil the purpose by spreading false propaganda. We clear large encroachments indiscriminately. Strict legal action will be taken against new encroachers.

The theme of this year’s wildlife conservation is coexistence with wildlife. The natural environment can survive only when people living near forest co-exist with wildlife. Therefore, I am starting this walk with the hope that this walk that is going on today will create awareness among the people of the country and that the forest wildlife will survive.

Actor Rishab Shetty said that his film also conveys the message of coexistence and forest conservation is everyone’s responsibility. He appealed that we should preserve the forest and the wealth in the forest, and the wildlife. Manjunath Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Forests, Biology and Environment, Principal Chief Conservators of Forests Brijesh Kumar Dixit, Subhash Malkade and others participated in the programme.