Mangalore: Pilikula kambala to get Rs. 5 lakh every year

The Hindu

• Janardhan Reddy inaugurates snake park 

MANGALORE: Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy has announced an annual grant of Rs. 5 lakh for the Netravati-Phalguni Kambala that is organised on the premises of the Dr. Shivarama Karanth Biological Park at Pilikula Nisargadhama.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the annual Kambala at the Pilikula Nisargadhama on Saturday.

Mr. Reddy instructed the district administration to initiate the paperwork so that the grant could be made available from this year. “The entire process should take less than 15 days.

You can consider this year’s grant as a reimbursement for the event that has already been conducted,” he said. His announcement came after organisers of the Kamabala told him that there was no Government support for the event.

Snake park

Earlier, Mr. Reddy inaugurated the snake park and veterinary complex at the biological park. The snake park, which has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 35 lakh under the Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environment Management Project, houses nearly 250 reptiles belonging to around 30 species.

Sprinklers

The enclosures at the park have been fitted with sprinklers to help the reptiles, which are cold-blooded creatures, maintain their body temperature.

One of the primary objectives of the park, which has been approved by the Zoo Authority of India, is to attempt captive breeding of king cobras. A separate mating chamber has been provided, Director of the Pilikula Biological Park H.J. Bhandary told Mr. Reddy.

The veterinary complex, which was constructed at a cost of Rs. 35 lakh and funded by the Central Zoo Authority, has a hospital, quarantine wards and a post-mortem ward.

Mr. Reddy also inaugurated eight rooms of a resort constructed by Jungle Lodges and Resorts at Pilikula and laid the foundation stone of another batch of such rooms.