Karnataka, with one of the highest densities of tigers in the country, has come out with a programme called ‘Support the Tiger’, seeking help from the corporate sector to conserve tigers in the wild. The State Forest Department wants investment support from the corporate sector through their Social Corporate Responsibility (CSR) to conserve wildlife in the State.
Speaking at a workshop on Friday, Karnataka Forest Minister Ramanath Rai called upon corporate sector to invest in wildlife conservation. Rai said the programme aimed at channelising the CSR funds into forest and wildlife conservation.The Government has made it mandatory for all the companies coming under Corporate Sector Responsibility to reserve two per cent of their annual profit for various social activities.
Rai said the Forest department alone cannot meet the challenges in the conservation sector and there is need for support from corporate partners in wildlife conservation and greening. He said, “the rapid strides of growth in various economic sector has put a lot of pressure on our natural resources, while at the same time has created lot of wealth for companies and it is right time for corporate sectors to contribute for maintaining clean environment.”
According to department officials an estimate of Rs 10,000 crore is needed for the next 10 years to improve the forest coverage and conserve wildlife.Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environ-ment, M Madan Gopal said there was no dearth of funds and there was more human resource available in the State, but was needed to spread sensitivity about the beauty of nature, to respect the wildlife. There should be wildlife promotional activities, he added. Karnataka has 300 big cats in the wild.