In this era of brands, the Karnataka Forest Department wants to capitalise on brand Veerappan to promote eco-tourism in what was once Veerappan's country. The Forest Department has chalked out a tourism package, involving treks touching some of the hide-outs of the brigand who played a catch-me-if-you-can game for nearly two decades with the police of three southern States before he was gunned down by the Special Task Force of the Tamil Nadu police last year.
The Forest Department wants to cash in on the myth, legend and folklore of one of the most wanted criminals in the history of Independent India who had killed more than 120 people, mostly policemen, poached 2,000 elephants and smuggled sandalwood worth hundreds of crores of rupees.
Speaking to The Pioneer on Tuesday, Karnataka's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Ram Mohan Ray said: "Our aim is to encourage nature education with some excitement using the Veerappan name. We want to inculcate a sense of love and respect for wilderness using the Veerappan flavour. Specially-trained guides will lead nature lovers in selected forest trails. It is not advisable to watch wildlife in the five-star comfort of a vehicle, using binoculars. One should sweat it out in the jungle to witness animals and birds."
The trails will crisis-cross some of the core areas of Veerappan country, including his native village of Gopinatham, and the forests of BR Hills and MM Hills, where the brigand's favourite temple is located.The Forest Department already has a base in Kanakapura at Bheemeshwari which would be connected to the three areas where Veerappan once struck terror and kept out nature lovers from making excursions into the forests.
According to the Conservator of Forests, Chamarajanagar Circle, DA Venkatesh, the tourism package is ready. "It is ready and it is for the tourists to use it now," he added. The Forest Department is also planning to launch a web-site shortly to promote the new eco-trails.
With Veerappan dead and gone, poaching in the area has shot up, in the absence of the STF who patrolled the vast forest tract. The Department has increased the number of anti-poaching camps in the area.One of the reasons why Veerappan thrived in the area and stayed a step ahead of the police was his affinity with the local people to whom he provided gainful employment in cutting sandalwood trees and poaching elephants. It was basically the poverty in the area which drove many tribals to join forces with the brigand and his men.
Now, the State Government plans to step up developmental activities in the region by involving the tribals in soil conservation, afforestation and other similar activities.It is indeed time the Government intervened to improve the living standards of the tribals, failing which many more Veerappans could spring up in the area in the years to come.
