Karnataka's forest dept to propose Rs 2-3 cess on water bill to fund Western Ghats conservation

Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre gave directions to the additional chief secretary of his department to submit a proposal on the matter within the next seven days.

Bengaluru: Karnataka's Forest Department is set to propose a green cess of "Rs 2 or 3" on water bills in towns and cities to raise a corpus fund meant for the conservation of Western Ghats.

Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre gave directions to the additional chief secretary of his department to submit a proposal on the matter within the next seven days.

Khandre said the Western Ghats are not only a biodiversity hotspot but also bring rains to Karnataka and the origin point of Tunga, Bhadra, Cauvery, Kabini, Hemavathi, Krishna, Malaprabha, Ghataprabha and other rivers.

"Today, many towns and cities of the state are dependent on the waters from these rivers, which will continue to be a source of water in the future. In this regard, imposing a cess of only a few rupees can raise a huge amount of money," the letter said.

The minister said the money could be utilised to purchase land from farmers on the edge of forest areas to increase green cover and to take up works that will help prevent man-animal conflict.

In a separate statement, Khandre said an addition of Rs 2 or 3 with the water bill will help create awareness among the public on the importance of the Ghats.