Karnataka has urged industry to invest in wildlife conservation as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Addressing the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organised session on 'Balancing Wildlife Conservation and Growth'', Kaushik Mukherjee, Karnataka Chief Secretary, stressed on the importance of promoting awareness on the Indian Wildlife Business Council (IWBC), for which he requested CII to work together with the Karnataka Forest Department.
Mukherjee said that he is in favour of demarcating landscape for economic growth and environmental conservation and clearing project proposals without time lag.
He further said Tiger centric tourism needs to be revisited in partnership with industry. A holistic approach bringing together industry, NGOs, forest department and the civil society will greatly serve to formulate an optimal balance between growth and conservation.
He said there is also a need to look at local community livelihood in the vicinity of forest area. He mentioned that empowering the villagers in those areas could not only improve their quality of life but also help in environmental conservation.