Anil Kumble nominated as Forest department ambassador: Khandre
Bengaluru: Renowned sportsperson and former cricketer Anil Kumble will be nominated as the Forest and Wildlife Ambassador, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwara B Khandre said.
Speaking at a press conference at the Vidhana Soudha Conference Hall on the occasion of completing 2 years since he took oath as a minister, he said that Anil Kumble, who has previously served as the Vice-President of the Karnataka Wildlife Board, is of world-class fame and will create awareness among the public about forest conservation, forest development, tree conservation and wildlife conservation.
Anil Kumble has immense concern for wildlife. He has a love for forests. Hence, he has agreed to become an ambassador without receiving any remuneration, Eshwara Khandre clarified.
The government has decided to save and develop the breathing spaces in Bangalore and has decided to build another huge park on 153 acres of Madappanahalli near Yelahanka, he said.
Lalbagh in Bangalore was built during the time of Hyder Ali, Cubbon Park was built during the British era. Even after a century, another huge park has not been built in Bangalore. Therefore, he said that the 153 acres of land that he gave to the Karnataka Forest Development Corporation for cultivating Nilgiri after becoming the Forest Minister will be taken back to the Forest Department on June 2 and a park will be built there.
The world is facing the effects of global warming and climate change. During this period, increasing the green cover is the responsibility of the Forest Conservation and Management Department. In the last 2 years, about 8848 Vanamahotsava have been held, about 8.5 crore saplings have been planted and nurtured in forest areas, roadsides and government land. He gave details that a total of 120975 hectares of plantations, 25 new arboretums and 35 God's forests have been constructed in the years 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Eshwar Khandre also said that in the last 2 years, a total of 3.70 crore saplings have been distributed to farmers for planting in their own fields and for planting in other fields.
Land is precious in Bengaluru city. Forest land has been encroached here for decades, and in the two years since he became the minister, he said that he has cleared 128 acres of forest land worth about Rs 4000 crore.
There is a rare grassland in Heeraghatta in Bengaluru city. It is a breeding ground for hundreds of species of birds, and there was a struggle for decades to save such a beautiful environment. He said that after he became the minister, despite many pressures, he declared 5678 acres of the Greater Heeraghatta Protected Grassland to protect the rare grassland around Hesaraghatta Lake.
In the last 2 years, 6251.31 acres of forest worth crores of rupees have been cleared in 1205 encroachment cases. He said that encroachment clearance is a continuous process. There was a demand to start a leopard safari in Bannerghatta National Park, which is located near Bangalore, and he launched it after becoming a minister, and it has become a centre of attraction. He said that the number of tourists visiting the park has increased.
As per the recommendations of the district level committees, an area of 3,30,186.93 hectares has been notified as protected forest or deemed forest as per specific sectoral norms. Eshwar Khandre said that since the land identified in this way includes a government office, hospital, and patta land, a request has been made to the Supreme Court and a committee has been formed to revise and submit it, he said.
Now is the last chance, and it has been decided to provide compensation by providing alternative land to the area that has already been submitted to the Supreme Court as a protected forest, while maintaining the area of the protected area at 3,30,186.93 hectares. He said that this work is in progress.
The central government-owned HMT has been completely banned from selling 444 acres of forest land worth about Rs 14,300 crore to many organizations, including real estate companies. It has been decided to take back this forest land and keep it as a park, and a legal battle has been fought for this, the Forest Minister said.
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