Mangaluru: Minister for Forest, Environment, and Ecology, Eshwar Khandre, announced that online booking will be introduced for all trekking routes in the state starting from the third week of July to regulate the process. After a review meeting of the Mangaluru circle of the forest department, he informed reporters that the department has already implemented online booking for Kudremukh, Nethravati, and other trekking peaks in the Mangaluru circle, and this system will be extended to all such destinations in the state.
A software platform providing online booking for all trekking spots on a single website is currently being developed and will be ready within the next 15 days. This new system aims to eliminate irregularities in the booking process by streamlining it.
The minister also stated that the forest department has set a target to plant 5 crore saplings in the state this year, with the work already underway. Last year, 5.4 crore saplings were planted, surpassing the target of 5 crore. The chief minister has assured an additional grant of Rs 100 crore for this purpose. In the Mangaluru circle, 26.5 lakh saplings were planted last year, with a survival rate of over 90%. This year, over 12 lakh saplings have been raised in various nurseries and will be planted by the end of July in the Mangaluru circle. Additionally, mangroves will be developed on over 150 acres by planting 10 lakh saplings.
The minister instructed officials to take action against violations in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) promptly and to clear forest land encroachments in the circle as soon as possible. He acknowledged that the ban on single-use plastic introduced last year was ineffective due to a lack of awareness and staff shortages. Therefore, efforts will be intensified to protect the environment and wildlife.
During the Environment Day celebration at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, 25-30 stalls will be set up to raise awareness about e-waste, the benefits of sewage treatment plants, and the adverse effects of pollution on health.
