Dharmasthala : New minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment B Ramanatha Rai visited Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala on May 23. Thursday and offered prayers t o the Lord. Later he met D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala.

Rai who spoke to reporters later, said there were plans to set up an urban eco park near Pilikula which will sensitize the people on the need to protect environment.

On the wild elephant menace, Rai said the government was studying an expert report and plans elephant corridors  to solve the problem. He said he wants to make the forest department a people friendly department.

K HarshendraKumar,  Harish Kumar, Belthangady Block Congress President,Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee member, Rajashekhar Ajri, Bantwal taluk panchayat member, Padmashekahr Jain and others were present.