In a first of its kind initiative, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said there will be a green budget that will focus on protecting the state’s ecology.
Speaking on the occasion of National Forest Martyrs Day, he said that there are many forest officers who have sacrificed their lives to protect the ecology and increase the forest area. He said that about 30 years ago the forest area of Karnataka was around 30-40 per cent which was 43 lakh hectares, but now it has come down to 21.5 per cent.
“I am ordering the forest and environment department to make an annual assessment of the loss and total deficit of our natural resources. In the next budget, for the first time, I will introduce a provision to fill the ecological deficit.
“Deforestation has increased in the last 20 years and we will need to educate the younger generation about the importance of conserving forests and wildlife. We have to teach them to adopt a sustainable lifestyle based on the needs,” he said.
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