Belgaum: State Forest Minister B Ramanatha  Rai has informed that the government would take necessary steps  to construct check dams in forest areas to ensure  that the wild animals  had enough drinking water  so that they do not trespass into human habitats.

Speaking to reporters here, the Minister said  considering the increasing cases of wild animals like elephants and leopards trespassing into human habitats in the recent  times, the government would also take steps to see that  the wild animals get enough food.

The government was spending as much as Rs 10.5 crores towards man-animal conflict prevention programmes, he said adding the measures  are to check  hunting of wild animals, laying of trenches to prevent  animals from entering human habitat,  putting up of electric fencing, setting up of  observation towers etc.

The Minister said  steps would be taken to put a brake to unauthorized agricultural activities in forest area. There would be no scope for agriculture in notified forest areas, the minister warned.