Grow bamboo forelephants: HC

BANGALORE: The High court on Monday directed the Forest Department to grow food for elephants in the forest and gave four weeks time to the State Government to submit a report on the steps taken to improve the condition of elephants in the forest.N Ravindranath Kamat who has filed a PIL submitted to the Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri that lack of food had driven the elephants into human habitats from the forests. “Elephants live mostly on the bamboo bushes which are their primary source of food. There is a sharp fall the number of bamboo trees in the forest.Therefore, the elephants are finding it difficult to find food and straying out of forests,” he argued.The division bench took note of this fact and also noted the lack of constructive work taken by the Forest Department. The court told the department grow food for elephants. “Bamboo grows in a short time and you have to rejuvenate them in forest areas,” the bench said.The government counsel wanted more time to implement the projects it already initiated. The court gave it four weeks to place its submissions on the steps taken.