Bommai: Culture, conservation must go together

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday urged citizens to treat culture and conservation with the same importance.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the 68th Wildlife Week 2022, on the theme-’Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration, walk for wildlife conservation and historic drive for wildlife conservation (vintage car rally)’, the CM told the forest department that surveys and ecological restoration should be done annually.

He also said that Rs 100 crore budgetary allocation has been made for ecological restoration, and another Rs 100 crore will be allocated if the need arises.  Forest department officials said that this year, the stress is on protecting herbivores in the eastern plains.

Principal Chief Wildlife Warden, Vijay Kumar Gogi said told TNIE that now the focus is on protecting other carnivores in the eastern plains like wolves, foxes, jackals and hyenas.  “The focus has always been on the protection of flagship species like tigers and elephants.

But now, the focus should be shifted to other species to protect their region. To reduce man-animal conflict, the department is working on increasing the herbivore population in the eastern plains. If there is a healthy prey base, the carnivores will be in lesser conflicts,” Gogi said.