Why not "elephant foeticide", asks Karnataka BJP MLA upset by pachyderm menace in his constituency
Bengaluru, Sep 22: A Karnataka MLA on Thursday suggested "elephant foeticide" as he lamented about the sufferings caused to people and farmers in his constituency by the pachyderm menace.
The Legislative Assembly discussed the issue of rampant elephant menace in several parts of the State, especially in Mudigere in Chikkamagaluru district.
As several other legislators, too, highlighted troubles caused by elephants and other wild animals in their constituencies, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri suggested the government to form a high-level expert committee regarding the measures to be taken, and to act upon them.
Responding to the issue raised by Mudigere MLA M P Kumaraswamy, Minister Shivaram Hebbar, on behalf of the Chief Minister, noted that one elephant especially named "Mudigere Byra" was creating a lot of trouble in the region and instructions have been given to capture it and teams have been formed in this regard.
Noting that six people have died in his constituency so far due to elephant menace as their numbers were increasing, Kumaraswamy said, "Elephant population is increasing, their foeticide aimed at bringing down their numbers or shifting them to other places is also not happening."
"Yesterday, two elephants destroyed the property belonging to the tribal community in Kalasa, when will this menace end? Bring down their number or shift them or make elephant corridors...people are angry at us (public representatives), they are asking us whether we want them or forest animals," he said.
He also sought compensation to those farmers, who couldn't take up sowing due or agriculture activities due to elephant menace.
Responding to him, Hebbar said since 2000, so far 74 elephants have been shifted from Mudigere.
Explaining about the measures taken by the government, he said, so far compensation was Rs 7.5 lakh; the Chief Minister has now increased to Rs 15 lakh. Also he has announced that crop loss compensation will be doubled.
"Further, in Hassan sector, 9.5 km of rail fencing work has been completed, it will be extended to another 7 km, a total of Rs 100 crore has been given this year and more funds will be given. Also, radio collars are being installed to elephant necks to track them," the Minister said.
He also made it clear that there is no proposal or plan before the government for elephant foeticide; it is not possible either.
Noting that shifting of elephants won't help as it will be leading to trouble in other areas, another BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan suggested that the forest department look at planting more food or fruit bearing trees in the forest instead of teak and mangium trees.
Hanur MLA Narendra said thousands of elephants are in Chamarajanagara district, adding to that elephants creating trouble in other parts of the State are being shifted there, leading to extreme menace there.
Intervening, Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri, too, highlighted that farmers and people living in regions near forest areas are facing a lot of trouble due to elephants and other wild animals, both in terms of lives and properties.
He also asked the government to form a high-level expert committee and take a report from them to address this issue and act accordingly, or else farmers cannot grow crops.
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US President Donald Trump announces 27 percent reciprocal tariff on India
Washington/New Delhi (PTI): The US has announced 27 percent reciprocal tariffs on India saying New Delhi imposes high import duties on American goods, as the Donald Trump administration aims to reduce the country's trade deficit and boost manufacturing.
The move is expected to impact India's exports to the US. However, experts say that India is better-placed than its competitors who also face increased levies.
President Trump, in a historic measure to counter higher duties on American products imposed globally, announced reciprocal tariffs on about 60 countries.
"This is Liberation Day, a long-awaited moment. April 2, 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again. We are going to make it wealthy, good, and wealthy," Trump said in his remarks from the Rose Garden at the White House on Wednesday.
He said that the United States charges other countries only a 2.4 percent tariff on motorcycles, but Thailand and others are charging much higher rates, like 60 percent, India 70 percent, Vietnam 75 percent, and others charge even higher rates.
As he announced the tariffs, he held up a chart that showed the tariffs that countries such as India, China, the UK, and the European Union charge, along with the reciprocal tariffs that these countries will now have to pay.
The chart indicated that India charged 52 percent tariffs, including currency manipulation and trade barriers, and America would now charge India a discounted reciprocal tariff of 26 percent. But according to the White House documents, there will be a 27 percent duty on India.
"India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The prime minister just left. He's a great friend of mine, but I said, you're a friend of mine, but you're not treating us right. They charge us 52 percent. You have to understand, we charge them almost nothing for years and years and decades, and it was only seven years ago, when I came in, that we started with China," Trump said.
Describing the tariffs as a "mixed bag and not a set back", an official in India said the commerce ministry is analysing the impact of 27 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US on India.
According to the official, the universal 10 percent tariffs will come into effect on all imports into the US from April 5 and from April 10, 27 per cent duty will come into play.
"The ministry is analysing the impact of the announced tariffs," the official said, adding there is a provision that if a country would address the concerns of the US, the Trump administration can consider reducing the duties against that nation.
India is already negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US. The two countries are aiming to finalise the first phase of the pact by fall (September-October) of this year.
"It is a mixed bag and not a setback for India," the official said.
Exporters' body FIEO stated that the duties on India will undoubtedly affect domestic players but early conclusion of the trade agreement would provide relief from these tariffs.
"We have to assess the impact, but looking at the reciprocal tariffs imposed on other countries, we are in a lower band. We are much better placed compared to our key competitors such as Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, etc. We will definitely be affected by the tariffs, but we are much better placed than many others," Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai told PTI.
From 2021-22 to 2023-24, the US was India's largest trading partner. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in bilateral trade.
With America, India had a trade surplus (the difference between imports and exports) of USD 35.32 billion in goods in 2023-24. This was USD 27.7 billion in 2022-23, USD 32.85 billion in 2021-22, USD 22.73 billion in 2020-21, and USD 17.26 billion in 2019-20.
In 2024, India's main exports to the US included drug formulations and biologicals (USD 8.1 billion), telecom instruments (USD 6.5 billion), precious and semi-precious stones (USD 5.3 billion), petroleum products (USD 4.1 billion), gold and other precious metal jewellery (USD 3.2 billion), ready-made garments of cotton, including accessories (USD 2.8 billion), and products of iron and steel (USD 2.7 billion).
Imports included crude oil (USD 4.5 billion), petroleum products (USD 3.6 billion), coal, coke (USD 3.4 billion), cut and polished diamonds (USD 2.6 billion), electric machinery (USD 1.4 billion), aircraft, spacecraft and parts (USD 1.3 billion), and gold (USD 1.3 billion).
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