Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (MS)

Kundapur, Jul 10: “A plan will be made based on the mangrove forests of this region to develop the mangrove forests throughout the coastal belt. Mangrove forests will be convenient for the egg laying of different kinds of fishes, prevention of cyclones and expansion of green zones. The tourism department is mulling to encourage eco-tourism,” said minister for forest Aravind Limbavali.

Limbavali spoke with the media after paying a visit to the mangrove forest near Kundapur Church road. He further said, “I have instructed the officials to grow mangrove forests in the back water area where there are no mangrove forests right now from the income that will be generated through eco-tourism. MLAs of Byndoor and Kundapur have submitted appeals for growing mangrove forests. So the department is working in this direction.

“Opportunity will be given to tourism with restrictions in place. In certain zones, where there is no entry for tourists, the picture of the area can be shown to the tourists through ultra-modern cameras. Similarly, if a documentary is made on the exotic spots of coastal areas, it will surely attract the tourists. This will increase income and employment.

“The green zone in Karnataka which was 13% has reached 23% now. We have an aim of increasing it to 33%. We faced shortage of oxygen during coronavirus. If there is forest and mangrove, oxygen will be available in abundance. In the wake of this the forest departments are working to develop forest areas,” he said.

MLAs Halady Srinivas Shetty and B M Sukumar Shetty, Kundapur zonal forest officer Prabhakar Kulal, Byndoor zone forest officer Kiran Babu, Kundapur town municipality president Veena Bhaskar Mendon, vice president Sandeep Kharvi, president of urban development Vijaya S Poojary, Kundapur Mandala BJP president Shankara Ankadakatte, members of town municipality and leaders of BJP were present.