District Forest Officer C. Chaitanya Kumar Reddy has said that a top priority would be accorded to developing ‘nagara vanams’ (city forests), particularly in the municipalities of Kuppam, Palamaner, Punganur, Nagari, and Chittoor Municipal Corporation.
Addressing the Forest Range Officers (FROs) of six ranges during a review meeting after taking charge as the District Forest Officer, Mr. Chaitanya Kumar Reddy asked the officials to launch people-friendly measures by developing the ‘nagara vanams’.
He said that the concept was catching up fast in the urban areas. Reviewing the ongoing works undertaken in the Chittoor Park zone, he said that steps would be taken to provide more amenities for the visitors.
Referring to the rise in the migration wild elephants into the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary from the forests in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the range officials said that the ‘Project Elephant’ needed more funds for works related to trenches, solar fencing, and other activities.
Forest Range Officer (Kuppam) Madan Mohan Reddy said thanks to the efforts of the field staff and the elephant trackers, the man-animal conflict could be tackled effectively in the Koundiyna sanctuary zone, adding that farmers were cooperating with the forest officials in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Chittoor district, after the reorganisation, has the ranges of Chittoor, Puthalapattu, Palamaner, Punganur, Karveti Nagaram, and Kuppam. The Madanapalle range has been merged with Annamayya district.
