Kollur: Campaign to protect Sowparnika river launched

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Kollur, Udupi 12 January 2011: A campaign to protect Sowparnika river base in Western Ghats, has been taken up by the Western Ghat Task Force in association with Department of Forest, said its Chairman Anantha Hegade Ashisara. He was speaking after launching the programme to protect Sowparnika river base at Anezari Nature Camp, at Kollur here on Tuesday. He said that the campaign had already been launched at the Kaveri river base and would be launched at Malaprabha river base in Belgaum on Jan 18 and Balehole river base in Kalasa on Jan 22.

 

"A Rs 10 crore programme, involving preservation of river Sowparnika base, underground drainage and drinking water supply programme for Kollur is underway’’, Ashisara said. He said that the Western Ghat Task Force has chalked out a programme to preserve plants of medicinal value in Western Ghats. "13 places, including Dali in Kollur, have already been identified to set up the preservation centers. 10 more places would be identified soon’’, he said.

 

 

Replying to press persons Ashisara said that as the government was taking up nature tourism in a big way, the Task Force had demanded the government to see to it that the nature was not abused. ``Participation of the local people must be ensured in the nature tourism projects’’, he added. On the occasion Ashisara honoured a 110-year-old tribal man.

 

Kollur Grama Panchayath President Udaya Shervegar, Zilla Panchayath  CEO Rajashekhar, Deputy Conservator of Wildlife Prakasha Netalkar and Deputy Conservator of Social Forestry Mohammed Akbar were present.  Subhashchandran from IISc and columnist Narendra Rai were the resource persons.