Bengaluru, March 6 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced a series of initiatives aimed at mitigating human–animal conflict, strengthening forest conservation and improving environmental infrastructure while presenting the State Budget in the Legislative Assembly.

The Chief Minister said the government has spent Rs 1,044 crore over the last three years to address the complex issue of human–animal conflict. The expenditure covered compensation for crop damage, loss of livestock and loss of human life, creation of three new elephant task forces and one leopard task force with 358 new posts, and installation of railway barricades, trenching, solar fencing and other protection works.

To further mitigate human–animal conflict, the government will implement the Karnataka Man-Animal Conflict Mitigation Programme with an outlay of Rs 1,500 crore over the next five years. An allocation of Rs 269 crore has been earmarked for the programme in the current financial year, he stated.

Siddaramaiah also announced that 5,676 acres of Hesaraghatta Grassland in Bengaluru have been declared as the Greater Hesaraghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve. Measures will be undertaken for the conservation and development of the area.

A Leopard Rehabilitation Centre will be established in Bannerghatta at a cost of Rs 5 crore to rehabilitate leopards captured from residential areas on the outskirts of Bengaluru, he stated.

The Chief Minister said the Forest Department will be strengthened by filling 2,000 posts in various cadres during the financial year 2026–27.

To enhance visitor experience and promote tourism, a Nature Interpretation Centre will be established under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for visitors to the Mysore Zoo and Bannerghatta Biological Park, he said.

In line with the National Forest Policy, priority will be given to districts with less than 10 per cent forest cover, including those in the Kalyana Karnataka region. Afforestation activities will be undertaken across 75,000 hectares, for which Rs 150 crore has been allocated, including Rs 50 crore from the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB), CM Siddaramaiah announced.

The government will also develop a 153-acre area at Madappanahalli in Bengaluru North taluk as a ‘lung space’ by designating it as the Cultural Leader Basavanna Biodiversity Park, he stated.

To strengthen air quality monitoring across the state, 15 new continuous ambient air quality monitoring centres will be established, he said.

The Chief Minister further announced that a memorial will be constructed in honour of noted environmental activist Salumarada Thimmakka near Hulikal-Kudur.

–IANS

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