Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Ramalinga Reddy chairing a meeting with forest officials at the office of Bandipur Tiger Reserve Forest in Melkamanahalli, in Chamarajanagar district on Friday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The demarcation of the notified Kaniyanapura elephant corridor and the installation of barricades along it to prevent human-animal conflict were among the key issues discussed at a meeting chaired by the Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Ramalinga Reddy with forest officials at the office of Bandipur Tiger Reserve Forest, Melkamanahalli, near Safari point on Friday.For the convenient movement of elephants, corridor will be constructed and measures will be taken prevent the entry of elephants into farmers’ land, Minister said.While discussing about the declaring Male Mahadeshwara Hills as Tiger Reserve Forest, Minister said that proposal has been placed before the State Wildlife Board. However, government will consider the opposition and apprehension of public for declaring it as Tiger Reserve Forest.
Though there is no much difference between wild life sanctuary and Reserve Forest, government will take the decision in the interest of farmers, he said.CSR Fund will be utilised to purchase drone cameras and necessary equipments to install in four forest division of Chamrajanagara district.Measures to curb Lantana menaceLantana plants, which have been spread across 38% of the Bandipur forest area, have been removed manually, involving considerable manpower. If the invasive plant is not controlled immediately, it could adversely affect the growth of natural vegetation in the forest.
Modern equipment will be deployed in Bandipur suggested Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy during the discussion with the forest officials.Clear bushes around water bodiesLakes, water tanks and other water bodies located on the outskirts of forest area and surrounded by bushes have become hiding places for tigers and leopards, increasing the risk of human-animal conflict. To facilitate the clearance of bushes around these water bodies with the involvement of gram panchayats, letters will be written to the Deputy Commissioner and MLAs, the Minister said.Responding to a question by media about the reported increase in homestays in the Bandipur forest area and eco-sensitive zone, Mr.
Ramalinga Reddy said that permission had been granted only to those that fulfilled the prescribed rules and regulations. Notices had been served on illegal homestay operators.
In some cases, operators had obtained court stays, and legal measures would be taken to address such cases.There would be no permission for illegal resorts or homestays. A monitoring committee and the Divisional Commissioner were overseeing the issue, he said.AI technology to monitor 190 tigers, 1,200 elephantsThere are said to be 190 tigers and more than 1,200 elephants in the Bandipur forest area.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras have been installed to monitor wildlife that cover 10-km radius.GSM-based cameras are also being used for surveillance. Whenever wild animals, including elephants, enter villages, alerts are immediately sent to command centre, enabling them to alert villagers and take precautionary measures, said Nandeesh, Deputy Conservator of Forests and also the Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, at a review meeting chaired by Mr.
Ramalinga Reddy.No fire incidents have been reported in the Bandipur forest area in the past three years, thanks to the efforts of forest personnel, the official said. Published - November 06, 2026 09:18 pm IST