Minister Khandre forms task force to tackle human-wildlife conflicts in Karnataka
Bandipur (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Monday directed the formation of a state-level Human-Wildlife Conflict Management Task Force comprising local representatives, NGOs, and environmental experts to curb human-wildlife conflicts in the state.
Chairing an emergency meeting of senior wildlife department officials here following two tiger attack incidents in Saragur taluk—one resulting in a fatality and another causing serious injuries—Khandre said the task force would create awareness among people in forest-fringe villages on coexisting with wildlife and taking necessary precautionary measures.
According to him, the task force would also visit schools in forest-bordering areas to educate students on being sensitive towards wildlife.
"The task force will act as a bridge between officials and villagers," Khandre said in a statement issued by his office.
He emphasised that standard operating procedures (SOPs) must be followed during any tiger, elephant, or leopard capture operations and instructed officials to impose prohibitory orders under Section 155 before initiating such operations.
Khandre urged forest staff and officers to maintain harmonious relations with villagers, act in a friendly manner, and promptly inform locals through microphones and social media if elephants or tigers enter residential areas.
He also directed the use of modern technology, such as thermal cameras and drones, to monitor wildlife movements near human settlements and farmlands.
"A comprehensive command centre will be established to send instant WhatsApp alerts to residents when wild animals are spotted nearby," he said, adding that necessary instructions had already been issued for urgent implementation.
The minister stressed the need for increased patrolling to prevent harm to humans and wildlife and to protect crops. However, he acknowledged a shortage of staff in the department and instructed officials to expedite recruitment.
Khandre suggested hiring frontline staff on a contract basis where required and asked the chief wildlife warden to submit a report within five days on measures to prevent animals such as elephants and tigers from straying out of forests.
He also directed officials to submit proposals for tentacle fencing, solar-powered wire fencing, elephant trenches, and chain-link fencing along railway barricades wherever necessary.
To curb the entry of single-use plastics into forest areas, Khandre launched a two-tier checking system for vehicles travelling through forest routes.
On roads passing through forest regions such as Bandipur and Nagarahole, passengers will first be encouraged to voluntarily dispose of single-use plastic items in designated garbage bins during the first level of checking.
"At the second level, if staff find any single-use plastic items inside vehicles during inspection, a fine will be imposed," he warned.
Khandre noted that when single-use plastics enter forests, wild animals often consume them, leading to illness and death.
"Our staff collect plastic waste along forest roads every day, which also exposes them to the risk of wild animal attacks. Hence, this two-tier inspection system will be an effective measure to curb the issue," he added.
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Iran reimposes restrictions on Strait of Hormuz, accusing US of violating deal to reopen it
Cairo (AP): Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iran-linked shipping.
Iran's joint military command said on Saturday that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces.” It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
The announcement came the morning after US President Donald Trump said that even after Iran announced the strait's reopening on Friday, the American blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear programme.
The conflict over the chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy after oil prices began to fall again on Friday on hopes the US and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement. Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait, and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again.
Control over the strait has proven to be one of Iran's main points of leverage and prompted the United States to deploy forces and initiate a blockade on Iranian ports as part of an effort to force Iran to accept a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to end almost seven weeks of war that has raged between Israel, the US and Iran.
Iran said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. But after Trump said the blockade would continue, top Iranian officials said his announcement violated last week's ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US and warned the strait would not stay open if the US blockade remained in effect.
A data firm, Kpler, said movement through the strait remained confined to corridors requiring Iran's approval.
US forces have sent 21 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, US Central Command said on X.
Truce in Lebanon could help US-Iran peace efforts
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The ceasefire in Lebanon could clear one major obstacle to an agreement. But it was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a deal it did not play a role in negotiating, and which will leave Israeli troops occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon.
Trump said in another post that Israel is “prohibited” by the US from further strikes on Lebanon and that “enough is enough” in the Israel-Hezbollah war.
The State Department said the prohibition applies only to offensive attacks and not to actions taken in self-defence.
Shortly before Trump's post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the ceasefire in Lebanon “at the request of my friend President Trump,” but that the campaign against Hezbollah is not complete.
He claimed Israel had destroyed about 90 per cent of Hezbollah's missile and rocket stockpiles and added that Israeli forces “have not finished yet” with the dismantling of the group.
In Beirut, displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return to their homes until it became clear whether the ceasefire would hold.
The Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon reported sporadic artillery shelling in some parts of southern Lebanon in the hours after the ceasefire took effect.
An end to Israel's war with Hezbollah was a key demand of Iranian negotiators, who previously accused Israel of breaking last week's ceasefire with strikes on Lebanon. Israel had said that the deal did not cover Lebanon.
The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen US service members have also been killed.
