Foresters’ thumbs down for Mekedatu, no proposal anyway

Bengaluru: Even as the state government was talking about building a dam at Mekedatu, the Forest Department on Wednesday clarified there was no such proposal before them and permission for such a project will not be given.

At a function organised by the CSS Corp, Chief Wildlife Warden, Vinay Luthra said the area, where the project has been planned, is a sensitive one. “The forests around Cauvery wildlife sanctuary is a potential tiger habitat and cannot be used for any major projects. Between M M Hills and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary about 25 tigers roam and if the project proposal comes we shall write to the Centre,” he said.

Earlier Luthra received camera trap equipment form the CSS Corp group, which will be placed in Nagarhole and Anashi-Dandeli Tiger Reserves in the coming weeks. Tiger Ramesh, CEO of CSS Corp handed over the cameras which will now be used for monitoring big cats of Karnataka.

“Tiger protection and wildlife conservation is paramount to protecting the biodiversity of India. We welcome corporates like CSS Corp, who have come forward to collaborate with us closely in this endeavour. We are extremely confident that scientific tiger census using camera traps will go a long way in maintaining and strengthening the ecological balance of Karnataka,” Luthra said.

Tiger Ramesh said that after the success of this initiative in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the group will extend the support to the Anashi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve. “The tiger is at the apex of the ecosystem and extremely critical for the survival of future generations. We will continue to support the initiatives towards wildlife protection and tiger conservation,” he said.

R. Gokul, Director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve said the present camera traps inside Nagarhole have shot about 45 tigers.