MADIKERI: The Forest Department in Kodagu district seems to lack direction and leadership as the persons who hold the post of Conservator of Forests are frequently changed.

The baton has changed hands as many as eight times in one year. After Venkatasubbaiah, who was the Conservator of Forests nearly a year ago, left, the Madikeri Deputy Conservator of Forests, Range Gowda, was made the in-charge Conservator. But Mr. Venkatasubbaiah returned to resume charge. P.L. Budihal, Chief Executive Officer of the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, was asked to take charge as the acting Conservator after Mr. Venkatasubbaiah's exit.

Mr. Budihal did not stay for long and Mr. Range Gowda was back to manage the affairs for some time. Ravindran replaced Mr. Range Gowda for a brief period only to be transferred. This brought Mr. Range Gowda back, who took charge for the third time in less than a year. He has now handed over charge to Srikantayya, who has his office in Mysore.

Such developments have hampered the functioning of the Forest Department in the district. Important decisions are not being taken and several files are reportedly gathering dust in the office of the Conservator of Forests as the in-charge officials do not want to sig the documents.

Afforestation suffering

Funds were released by the Centre under the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for the Madikeri and the Virajpet forest divisions three years ago. They were meant to be distributed among eco-development committees (EDCs) through the Conservator. Sources in the department say that no estimate has been prepared nor have the funds been released to the EDCs in the past two years. The Madikeri Forest Division has 29 EDCs and the Virajpet division over 30 EDCs. Sources point out that the Madikeri division has received Rs. 1.5 crore under NAP so far. More funds would have come to the divisions if they had shown progress, the sources say.

The Madikeri division took over a rubber plantation at Sampaje the previous year, which was leased to a Kerala-based company during the times of the British. The aggrieved party approached the High Court. The court, which found fault in the way the plantation was taken over, asked the then Conservator of Forests, Mr. Venkatasubbaiah, to conduct an inquiry and submit a report to it within one and a half months. But the order is yet to be complied with owing to the frequent change of Conservators.

Scheduled sanction rate (labour charges) of the Forest Department, which is uniform throughout the State, is another issue hanging fire. For instance, the charges given by the department in the plains are also applicable in Kodagu. It is a difficult task to hire labourers at the rate of Rs. 60 a day as in the plains, sources say. The rates should be revised in the case of Kodagu, which will have to be taken up at the Government level. Planting of saplings, transporting timber and a host of other works have suffered in the district in the absence of a Conservator.

Vacancies

Nearly 50 per cent of the posts in the wildlife wing are vacant. Sources say that the condition of watchers and lower-level staff in the border checkposts is pathetic. There were two cases of suicide by watchers at the checkposts as they had remained away from their families for too long.

Elephant menace

Elephant menace, which plagues the district, is assuming a threatening proportion in the recent times.

Except for the visit of the then Social Welfare Minister, A. Krishnappa, and the Principal Secretary to the Department of Forests and Environment, Gokul Ram, to Polibetta to assuage the feelings of people following the death of two persons two years ago, not much has been done to tackle the menace. The tree rights issue, which threatens to escalate into a law and order situation, has also been put on the backburner.

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