Sullia : ’Vanadharshana’ - Govt allocates Rs 700 for each student

Mangalore Today News Network

Sullia, April 17, 2015:  Briefing media on a visit to forest department nursery at Panjikallu near Sullia, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment B Ramanath Rai said that ’Hasiru Shale’ and ’Chinnara Vanadarshana’ programmes will be implemented by the State government from the next academic year, to create awareness on environment and forests  among children.  The minister said under ’Chinnara Vanadarshana’, students of Class 9 will be taken to forest area on holidays and will be provided all information regarding forests.

Funds have been reserved for the programme under the State budget and the programme will commence  next academic year.  To start with, children from government schools near forest area will be selected for Chinnara Vanadarshana programme.  The students will also be taken to zonal forest office, reserve forest, wood depot, devarakadu and nursery, he said.

DDPI will schedule for programme, without disturbing the school activities. The forest department will also provide food and ensure safety.  Rs 700 will be spent on each child. Grants of Rs 50,000 grants will be provided for a group 50 children, said Minister Rai.

Sanjay Bijur of CCF said there are 11,147 High Schools in the State and seven lakh students will be benefitted by Chinnara Vanadarshana programme. The objective of the department is to ensure the participation of every child of class 9, in Chinnara Vana Darshana.

Minister B Ramanath Rai interacted with schoolchildren, as a part of the preparation towards Chinnara Vanadarshana programme to be implemented in the next academic year.  The programme was held under the aegis of Karnataka Forest department, Mangaluru division and Puttur sub divisions.

Students of class 9 from Dr Shivaram Karanth Government school, Vivekananda High School, Vivekanagar and Harigowri High School were provided information on forests.  He also spoke to children at the forest department nursery at Panjikallu near Jalsur in the afternoon. District Chief Conservator of Forests Sanjay Bijur, Deputy CCF K T Hanumanthappa were present among others.

According to Minister Rai, fencing to prevent elephant menace will be taken up this month. Discarded railway iron lines will be used for fencing. Trenches will be dug in Mandekolu area, to control jumbo menace.