In response to the rising man-animal conflict in Karnataka, Forest, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre announced an international conference in August to address the issue. Speaking at the launch of a social afforestation program by Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) and the forest department at Salumarada Thimmakka Tree Park in Alampuri, Bantwal, Khandre emphasized the need to protect both wildlife and human lives.
The minister attributed the increase in man-elephant conflict to deforestation and commercial activities in buffer zones. Karnataka, home to 6,395 elephants and 263 tigers, faces exacerbated conflicts due to the prevalence of weeds. Khandre highlighted the importance of increasing green cover to at least 33% of the total geographical area to maintain ecological stability. Currently, only 21% of Karnataka’s area is forested, with two lakh hectares encroached upon. Some districts in Kalyan Karnataka have less than 10% forest cover.
The state government has announced the planting of five crore saplings annually. Last year, 5.4 crore saplings were successfully planted, with 80-90% survival after auditing, geo-tagging, and third-party inspections. However, Khandre noted that even planting 10 crore saplings per year might not suffice due to ongoing tree felling for development. He stressed the need for sustainable development to save the environment.