Bengaluru
Wildlife-human conflict increases as forest pressure increases. Therefore, it is the duty of every forest officer to save and cultivate the forest, and Forest Biology and Environment Minister Ishwara B Khandre has called for honest clearing of encroachment on forest land.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan laid a wreath at the Forest Martyrs’ Memorial at Aranya Bhavan and addressed the officials after saying that 57 forest personnel have been martyred so far during the elephant operation in the work of protecting the forest and wild life from loggers, poachers and forest fires. I pay my respects to all of them. If you want to pay real tribute to him, you all should prosecute those who have encroached large amounts of forest land and reclaim the land, he said.
Wild animals are poached for their skins, nails and tusks. Hundreds of years old trees are being cut down and encroachment of forest land for man’s selfishness. He said that the purpose of this Martyrs’ Day is to remember all of them and to instill confidence that the government will always be with their family members.
