On Wednesday, Minister of Forests, Ecology, and Environment Eshwar Khandre held a crucial meeting with senior forest officials in Mysuru to ensure the effective management of forest resources and address ongoing environmental challenges. The meeting, held at Aranya Bhavan in Ashokapuram, focused on preventing human-wildlife conflicts and improving the safety of both wildlife and local communities.
Khandre directed forest officials to maintain elephant trenches and solar fences in the Mysuru region to keep elephants from straying into human settlements. He also recommended planting bamboo along forest perimeters and ensuring adequate water supply within the forests to minimize human-animal conflicts. Additionally, the minister urged officials to take proactive measures against forest fires as the summer season approaches, stressing the importance of preparedness with firefighting equipment and personnel.
Mysuru has also been declared a single-use plastic-free city. Khandre instructed regular inspections and the imposition of fines to prevent the sale, storage, and transport of plastic items such as carry bags, bottles, and cups. Furthermore, to ensure public health, he ordered regular testing of water quality in supply tanks to prevent contamination.
Chief Conservator of Forests (Mysuru Circle) Malathi Priya and Deputy Conservator of Forests KN Basavaraju were present at the meeting.
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