Mysuru: The Forest Officials of Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary in association with Zilla Panchayat taken up lantana removing work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) for the first time.
The work is going on in Antharasanthe wildlife range forest in Nagarahole sanctuary at Hebbala. The officials have planned to remove lantana in 50 hectares of forest area and already removed lantana in 30 hectares.
Lantana is a weed which obstructs the growth of grass causing shortage of fodder for deer and other wildlives. The Antharasanthe forest range has area of 7484 hectares. This is for the first time that officials have taken up the work in association with the Zilla Panchayat.
A total of 861 persons have got employment due to the programme of which 463 are women and 398 are men. The villagers of Hunisekuppe, Dammanakatte, and Honnammanakatte are working under the project.
Following the initiative of, the poor labourers of Antharasanthe, Belthur and Hosaholalu Gram Panchayat areas have got employment amid Covid wave. Normally the residents of Colonies migrate to Kodagu, Kerala and Tamilnadu in search of employment. now the Forest
Department work has prevented the migration.
After the removal of Lantana the forest is looking more attractive and the tourists who are coming for Safari are clearly spotting animals in the forest.
Last year, the forest officials of Biligiriranganatha swamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve removed Lantana by utilising MNREGS.
The forest officials have provided vehicle facility to tribals and villagers to attend work and providing lunch.
