Brief Trekking Ban In Karnataka Forests Amidst Ecological Concerns

Karnataka's Environment Minister, Eshwar Khandre, issued a directive on Tuesday instructing the forest department to impose a temporary ban on trekking activities in forest areas that lack online booking provisions. This decision comes in response to the recent presence of around 4,000 trekkers in the ecologically sensitive Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, specifically around the Kumara Parvatha peak. The influx of trekkers in this fragile environment drew criticism from wildlife activists and conservationists.