Kollegal: Low-intensity crude bombs are being placed in villages on the fringe of the forest for wild boar hunting, and there are complaints that livestock and wildlife are dying after consuming them. Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment Eshwar B Khandre has instructed to keep a proper watch on this.

Conducting a progress review meeting of the Forest Department at the Kirti Chakra P Srinivas Guest House in Kollegal, he said that it has been reported that many baby elephants have eaten crude bombs and they have exploded in their mouths, their jaws have broken, and they are dying of starvation. The government has taken this seriously and directed that legal action be taken against those who place such bombs.

Bamboo is grown in abundance in the Cauvery Wildlife Division, bamboo acts as a natural and biological barricade. It also serves as food for elephants. It also prevents elephants from entering the country. He instructed to take action to grow it in other zones.

Complaints were received that permanent resort buildings are being built in the name of homestays inside the forest and in sensitive ecological zones, and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre instructed to take legal action against them.

He also directed to geo-tag sandalwood trees and protect them. Anjum Parvez, Addi-tional Chief Secretary of the Forest Ecology and Environment Department, APCCF Kumar Pushkar, Chief Conservator of Forests Hiralal, etc. were present in the meet-ing.