Shifting of sandalwood museum to Mysuru Palace on cards

Mysuru: Mysuru district minister S T Somashekar said that they were planning to shift the new sandalwood museum located at Aranya Bhavan premises at Ashokapuram in Mysuru to Mysuru Palace premises.

He visited the museum on Monday and said that they were contemplating shifting it for the convenience of farmers and visitors. He would discuss the matter with Chief Minister B. S. Yedyurappa and Forest Minister Anand Singh, he said.

The museum which is yet to be inaugurated has life-size sandalwood models and various other products. There is also a dark room to screen audio visual contents on sandalwood, and success stories of progressive farmers who are cultivating sandalwood.

DCF Prashanth Kumar said that sandalwood has been the identity of Karnataka and hence is popularly known as "Gandhadagudi". But over a period of time, its area of cultivation is depleting in the State. And their rates too have gone up since the demand is high. So in order to increase their area of cultivation, the State government has come up with several measures and it has even made amendments and permitted even private people or farmers to grow sandalwood. So in order demonstrate technical, scientific details and advanced technologies to cultivate sandalwood, and educate people on sandalwood and its cultivation in a simple way forest department has come up with this museum in Mysuru, he said.

He added that sandalwood cultivation is very lucrative as each farmer can earn Rs 3 crore per hectare. They can adopt mixed farming and even grow other plants amid these trees. And it is semi dependent and can be grown in a barren land. It can improve greenery and contribute to ecological balance. The export of sandalwood products including its oil and handicraft products, can contribute to nation's foreign exchange and its development, Mr Prashanth Kumar said.