<div>The State has filed its second set of objections to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) on the Kasturirangan panel recommendations, seeking to exclude private areas/villages and sand mining/quarrying areas from the purview of eco-sensitive areas (ESAs).<br /><br />Forest Minister Ramanath Rai told reporters on Tuesday that the department had filed the objections on October 28.<br /><br />While the panel has recommended that sand mining and quarrying be banned in ESAs in the Western Ghats, the State has sought that the recommendation should be reconsidered. His department has sought for these areas to be ‘regulated,’ in view of ‘local development’. November 5 is the last date to file objections to the recommendations.<br /><br />Vanya Darshana<br />Rai said that the department would launch ‘Chinnara Vanya Darshana’ programme from December for class nine students in schools on the forest fringes.<br /><br />To start with, the programme will be launched in Gadag and Belagavi districts and will be extended to other districts subsequently.<br /><br />By making activities under the programme a part of the academics, the department hopes to create awareness among students about preserving and conserving forests and wildlife.<br />Here, students will be get to stay overnight in forests. Cultural and essay writing competitions too will be organised. <br /><br />Recruitment<br />As many as 125 foresters, guards and watchers will be appointed under the sports quota. Rai said that the 22nd All India Forest Sports Meet will be held in Bengaluru in December. To ensure more number of medals, the department was making these recruitments. The meet is being held in Karnataka after a period of 18 years.<br /><br />Sportspersons from various categories including volleyball, athletics, kabaddi, weightlifting, swimming, badminton and table tennis will be recruited.<br /></div>
<div>The State has filed its second set of objections to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) on the Kasturirangan panel recommendations, seeking to exclude private areas/villages and sand mining/quarrying areas from the purview of eco-sensitive areas (ESAs).<br /><br />Forest Minister Ramanath Rai told reporters on Tuesday that the department had filed the objections on October 28.<br /><br />While the panel has recommended that sand mining and quarrying be banned in ESAs in the Western Ghats, the State has sought that the recommendation should be reconsidered. His department has sought for these areas to be ‘regulated,’ in view of ‘local development’. November 5 is the last date to file objections to the recommendations.<br /><br />Vanya Darshana<br />Rai said that the department would launch ‘Chinnara Vanya Darshana’ programme from December for class nine students in schools on the forest fringes.<br /><br />To start with, the programme will be launched in Gadag and Belagavi districts and will be extended to other districts subsequently.<br /><br />By making activities under the programme a part of the academics, the department hopes to create awareness among students about preserving and conserving forests and wildlife.<br />Here, students will be get to stay overnight in forests. Cultural and essay writing competitions too will be organised. <br /><br />Recruitment<br />As many as 125 foresters, guards and watchers will be appointed under the sports quota. Rai said that the 22nd All India Forest Sports Meet will be held in Bengaluru in December. To ensure more number of medals, the department was making these recruitments. The meet is being held in Karnataka after a period of 18 years.<br /><br />Sportspersons from various categories including volleyball, athletics, kabaddi, weightlifting, swimming, badminton and table tennis will be recruited.<br /></div>