SC ban hasn’t affected conservation

The theory that a ban on tiger tourism will affect the conservation of the critically endangered big cat was rubbished by the State Forest department, which claimed that it was able to initiate protective measures without funds from tourism. The Supreme Court’s interim order to ban tiger tourism in the last week of July created a flutter. Several wildlife enthusiasts and resort owners predicted almost “the beginning of the end of tiger conservation” in the country. Many of them claimed they supported conservation by sharing their revenue which will add to funds for conservation.

Forest department to review progress and survey leases

The Central Empowered Committee has informed the Supreme Court that the reclamation and rehabilitation work has been initiated in as many as five out of 16 in the ‘A’ category of mines in Karnataka. In its latest report submitted to the Supreme Court, it said that the forest department had agreed to provide all help and review the progress, besides the survey of the mining leases.

Nearly 35,000 trees will have to be felled to make way for widening of the 223-km long National Highway 218 that passes through Bijapur, Humnabad and Gulbarga, affecting the already thin forest cover in the region.

Bijapur, Gulbarga and Bidar have a negligible forest area of three per cent. In such a scenario felling of trees will have an adverse effect on the annual rainfall, temperature and flora and fauna in the three districts, say environmentalists.

As many as 103 gram panchayats will be presented with the Nirmal Gram Puraskar award by Governor H R Bhardwaj on Saturday.

The gram panchayats have been selected for the award as they were “100 per cent defecation free”, said Sanjeev Kumar, Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj. Addressing the media along with RDPR Minister K S Eshwarappa, Kumar said three districts in Karnataka, including Dakshina Kannada had been declared completely free of defecation.

The Centre has decided to release Rs 55 crore to Indi and Sindagi taluks in Bijapur district to augment drinking water supply under the National Rural Water Supply Scheme.

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh issued an order in this connection on Thursday after Bijapur Member of Parliament Ramesh Jigajinagi met him with a request.

PIL filed in June 2011 sought direction to expedite water project

The district in-charge minister Varthur Prakash, who has been accusing the Union government of obstructing the Yaragol irrigation project, appears to be evading the notice issued by the High Court in a public interest litigation challenging the delay in executing the project. The notice issued by the High Court on three occasions has returned unserved saying that the minister was not available at the Vidhana Soudha.

Almost all departments ignore three-year-old GO

Wondering why the State is facing a power crisis? Here’s another classic example of governmental sloth: The state’s public offices have failed to install power-saving equipment, despite it having been made mandatory, contributing to heavier power consumption in Karnataka.A government circular issued three years ago made it compulsory for all government departments to install electrical ballasts in their offices. This has been ignored by almost all the departments barring two electricity supply companies which are also not up to speed on installing ballasts.

The State government will install solar panels along the irrigation canals to generate power for lifting water. The project will be implemented in Yadgir, Raichur and Bijapur districts in the first phase.

Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here on Wednesday that it had been planned to install 10,000 solar panels along the one lakh-kilometre length of irrigation canals.

The temporary ban on tourism in core areas of tiger reserves has taken a financial toll on the Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR), which maintains wildlife and natural properties across the State.

Left with no opportunity to go on a tiger safari, tourists who had made advance bookings at the Kabini River Lodge, Bandipur Safari Lodge, River Tern Lodge and K Gudi Wilderness Camp, are besieging JLR offices to get refunds. The ban was imposed by the State government on July 25 in line with a Supreme Court order.

S R Hiremath, convenor of Samaja Parivartana Samudaya (SPS), has claimed that the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), appointed by the Supreme Court to examine aspects of mining in the State, has offered a biased view favouring mining companies.

At a press conference, he said “Initially, excellent reports on illegal mining were submitted, focusing on the impact on the environment. Now, they submit reports clearly favouring the companies by recommending that the operations be resumed, without explaining their impact on local people, agriculture or the environment.