Tree looters feasting on Devarayanadurga jungles

Since 1997, hundreds of mature trees have been felled in Devarayanadurga and its nearby state forests.

Even as we write this, many are being felled. The trees are first debarked clandestinely and let to die a natural death.

A view of one of the half cut trees.

Then they are felled in the name of removing dry wood.

A felled tree besides the Namadachelume-Devarayanadurga main road.

Trees are being ruthlessly felled here even during daytime. Even on informing the forest department about these events, it is taking no action. Among such places is the Girlakatte valley. In early and mid-90s, this valley had so many trees that it used to be dark even in summer when we used to walk on the path under the canopy of these trees. The same has happened with the canopy behind Rama Lakshmana trees on the 5th mile stone – Namadachelume road.

The sad part is that the forest department is not even willing to stop those who are carrying away the felled trees.

A happy tree man carrying away wood from jungle on his bicycle, on the Belagumba-Oordigere main road.

Comments

How forest friendly is Karnataka's Wind Energy?

Posted on 10 July 2007. Updated with google maps on 5 June 2013. A view of one of the hills carved up for wind farms and electricity transmission lines, seen from the Sri Rangapatna - Bidar State Highway No: 19 (proposed National Highway^) just north of Huliyar Town along Chitradurga - Tumkur districts' border. For quite some time, renewable energy sources have been touted to be a viable alternative to coal energy that causes global warming and hydro energy that drowns prime forests. To encourage renewable energy production, the Government is aggressively pushing wind energy production. But these days, wind farms are being set up by businessmen whose main concern is profit making and not nature conservation. Tens of thousands of wind turbines and electric power transmission lines have sprouted all over south India, particularly in the immediate vicinity of Western Ghats. Among the areas where wind turbines have been erected in Karnataka are the hills and highlands of eas...

Tigers in Bangalore in the Colonial era

A version of this story 'The last of Bengaluru’s tigers' was published in 'India Today' in December 2014 A sketch of a British hunter on a tiger shikar (hunt). Source : Arthur J. O. Pollock, ' Sporting days in Southern India', 1894. In the 19th century the tiger was no stranger to undivided Bengaluru district which included today’s Ramanagar district. There are many accounts in the British literature on the presence of this magnificent cat here. Bengaluru figures prominently in the shikar literature as it was an important cantonment during the entire stretch of the British rule here which started with the annihilation of the Mysore army in 1799. The city was surrounded by open areas that had grasslands and the wildlife depending on it like blackbuck, lesser florican and great Indian bustard. Nevertheless, big cats like tigers and leopards thrived in pockets of woods in and around the city. Tiger killing, a public amusement in early 1800s Among the ...

A simple idea rescues a sloth bear mother and her cubs from a dry well

The rich wildlife of Madhugiri Tumkur District's Madhugiri taluk, in south-eastern Karnataka, is of great interest to wildlife lovers. The habitats here range from dry deciduous forests in Madhugiri State Forest to the famous grasslands of Jayamangali Conservation Reserve near Maidanahalli village, which has one of Karnataka's healthiest single population of blackbuck. The hills to the south of and west of Madhugiri town are well-known for their sloth bears. For the past few years, WANC is working to bring these reserve and revenue forests along with those around Channarayana Durga hill, under the umbrella of a Conservation Reserve or Wildlife Sanctuary. View Larger Map We rushed to the spot and it was almost 8.00 PM. We reached a well that was completely dry and without fencing. We saw three sloth bears - one adult female and two baby bears. The animals looked a little dehydrated and tired. It is peak summer in this part of the world and ...

Tumakuru's Environment & Heritage Issues

Search This Blog