Karnataka - Madikeri   

Sene, CWS oppose Kodagu posting again for forest official

Madikeri: Coorg Wildlife Society (CWS) and Cauvery Sene on Tuesday urged the State Government to post an upright officer to Kodagu as Conservator of Forests.

Addressing presspersons here, president of CWS Col. C.P. Muthanna (retd.) and Kodagu convenor of sene Ravi Chengappa said that a previous Conservator of Forests with a “dubious” background was trying for posting in Kodagu again. The former Conservator of Forests G.A. Sudarshan did not show any interest in controlling the elephant and tiger menace in Kodagu during his tenure.

They said that they would request Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa not to post the official back to Kodagu. They appealed to Kodagu in-charge Minister Krishna Palemar, M.C. Nanaiah, MLC, and K.G. Bopaiah and M.P. Appachu Ranjan, MLAs, to take steps to ensure that the official did not succeed in coming back to Kodagu. The official was facing a probe by the legal cell of the Forest Department. The sene had filed a case against the official for granting permission for logging in the Kottamalai area of Kodagu, they said. Col. Muthanna said the society had lodged a complaint against the official with the Lokayukta recently.

The eco-system of Kodagu had come under serious threat and the official had taken no step to prevent its destruction. The official was transferred from Kodagu during the Governor’s rule following a representation by the society.

Mr. Chengappa said the sene would lay siege to the forest office here on July 28 to protest against the moves to post the officer back as Conservator of Forests, Kodagu. He urged the district administration to take action against those who had encroached upon parts of the hills around Madikeri.

Mr. Chengappa said the sene had fought for preservation of Kodagu’s environment by preventing execution of mini hydel projects.

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