Mangaluru: With the help of drones, the forest department has estimated that around 100 acres of reserve forest have been destroyed by the heavy downpour, landslides and floods witnessed on the foothills of the Charmadi Ghats in Belthangady in August.
The department has submitted a report to the state government in this regard and sought funds to take up relief works to check for preventive measures inside the reserve forest. A majority of the landslides had occurred in the steep hilly regions of the forest, where water continues to flow. According to a preliminary study, the losses incurred by the department due to the landslides and floods are estimated to be around Rs 5 crores.
Drones were used to conduct the survey, as the deep trenches formed due to the landslides prevented the forest department officers and staff from visiting the spot and conducting a survey to assess the damage themselves. The drones made the work easier by videographing the entire damaged area.
Mangaluru division Deputy Conservator of Forest V Karikalan informed that, based on the photos and video clippings, the officials have estimated the extent of destroyed forest area. He also said that major landslides had occurred in the Hosabata-Kannarapdy reserve forest area.
However, the exact estimate of the damage will be known only after visiting the spot and conducting a survey using GPS. The officials are likely to visit the damaged areas after a month.
