Latest news with #EshwarB.Khandre
The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Minister expresses ire over tree-felling on Hyder Ali road
Minister for Forests, Ecology, and Environment Eshwar B. Khandre expressed his ire over permission accorded to axe 40 trees on Hyder Ali Road. He was interacting with the Forest Department officials at a progress review meeting here on Sunday. The Minister said permission should be accorded only in such cases when all other options are closed, and it was inevitable to cut down the trees. The felling of 40 giant trees resulted in a public uproar as each of them was over 40 years old and local residents had stated that the existing traffic density did not warrant tree-felling to widen the road. Mr. Khandre said trees that were standing tall for years and posed no danger should not be felled, and all efforts should be made to conserve them. Incidentally, an official inquiry, which probed the issue, has absolved the Forest Department personnel and cleared them of any wrongdoing. The report has come under criticism as it only documented the sequence of events and whether the legal process of issuing permit to fell the trees were complied or not. The Minister also directed the officials to take up massive tree plantation drive in Mysuru during the ensuing Vana Mahotsava.
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Tree protection Act needs to be amended: Khandre
Minister for Forest and Environment, Eshwar B. Khandre, on Friday favoured the need to amend The Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976 in order to take strict action and impose higher fines on those who illegally cut down trees on government land, forests, and roadsides. Speaking at a Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) Monthly Management Review (MMR) meeting on Thursday, Mr. Khandre said that even the Supreme Court had objected to the cutting down of large numbers of trees. 'In view of global warming and climate change, it is the responsibility of all to protect trees,' he said. The Minister pointed out that recently there had been instances of public outrage over the approval given to cut down hundreds of trees in the name of development. 'In this regard, permission should not be granted for unnecessary tree cutting,' he said. On encroachment of forestland, he said that there should be zero tolerance and anyone who had encroached forest land after 2015 must be evicted without leniency. He also instructed officials to provide information about encroachments, evictions, and actions taken in the last two years.
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Minister seeks report on Nagarahole incident as tribals assert their rights under FRA
Consequent to the tribals occupying forest in Nagarahole seeking immediate settlement of their rights as per the Forest Rights Act, 2006, Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Eshwar B. Khandre, has sought a report from the local officials on the ground situation. The Minister's response stems from the increase in tension in the tiger reserve where scores of tribals have stayed put near Karadikallu, resulting in a stand-off between the Forest Department and them. Though the Forest Department has maintained that the applications under Forest Rights Act have to be cleared by the Forest Rights Committee or gram sabha, the tribals have claimed that the authorities were sitting on their applications despite furnishing all documents. Mr. Khandre said that the report, including the court orders and the action taken report on resettlement or recognition of tribal rights, should be furnished to him in two days. Sources said the tribals were taking turns and continuing to remain in the forest despite pleas from the authorities to disperse. The tribal representatives have claimed that they are only asserting their rights as they are the original inhabitants of the forests and the FRA only affirms their existing rights and was not bestowing new rights.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Forest Minister to hold meeting with officers in Hassan on Friday regarding human-elephant conflict
Shivamogga Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre will be visiting Hassan on Friday to hold a meeting with officers of the department regarding the human-elephant conflict. The Minister will leave Bengaluru in the morning and reach Holenarasipur to take part in the Basaveshwara Jayanti programme. Later, he will travel to Hassan, where he will hold a meeting with officers at the Aranya Bhavan in the city, before returning to Bengaluru. The people of Sakleshpur, Belur, and Alur have staged several protests demanding a permanent solution to the elephant menace. As many as five people have died in the district in elephant attacks since January this year. Whenever a death occurred, the villagers staged protests. Elected representatives of the district have urged the State government to put an end to the crisis. The Forest Department has launched an operation to capture elephants that cause trouble. On the first day of the operation on Thursday, the staff successfully captured a tusker. Earlier in March, three elephants were captured. The department has planned to set up the elephant soft-release centre in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. The project is in the planning stage.
