The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has considered the demand for an elephant corridor by acquiring private land in Sakleshpur taluk seriously and it will be sending a team of officials to Hassan soon, said A. Manju, Minister for Animal Husbandry and in-charge of the district, here on Monday.
The Minister had gone to Delhi recently with regard to projects related to Hassan and met the officials concerned in the Ministry of Environment and Forests there. He shared with officials there the people’s willingness to part with their land for the elephant corridor, a measure to stop elephant menace in the region.
“Farmers have come forward to give away their land voluntarily. Including the government land available in the area, around 23,000 acres of land can be utilised for the corridor, which will help widen the elephant habitat,” he said.
Mr. Manju said that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had taken the issue seriously. “Soon, a team of officials will be arriving here to inspect the area before taking a decision on the proposal. Farmers have placed their demands with regard to compensation for the land they will be parting with. However, we will fight for compensation four times the market value of the land,” he said.
Sugar factory
In response to a question regarding sugarcane growers’ protest against the Chamundeshwarai Sugar Factory near Channarayapatna, Mr. Manju said the private management had taken over the factory, which had been founded on a cooperative model and for the last seven years, it had not maintained the establishment properly. “I am aware of the farmers’ protest against the management. The management has agreed to carry sugarcane procured from farmers to a different factory for crushing. I will get the reports from the officials and resolve the issue,” he said.