BENGALURU: With wildlife activists raising a hue and cry against the drastic reduction in the Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ) area of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), the state forest department says it will not have much effect on the park itself. Further, they stress that mining activity will not be allowed to take place within one kilometre of the boundary of BNP.
Speaking to CE, chief wildlife warden, C Jayaram said, “The 100 sq km reduction in the ESZ area will not affect the national park, as the reduction in the area is of non-forest land. With this reduction, some human activity will be there and we may see some amount of straying of wildlife from BNP onto private lands.”
Since the final notification for Bannerghatta ESZ is yet to come, till then, the default 10 km ESZ will be in place. Further, with the closure of 15 mining companies by the State Mines and Geology Department, and the High Court giving them a temporary reprieval, they will be not in a position to operate. Also, a few of them who fall in the ESZ, will have to wind up their operations, say forest officials.
77 villages in ESZ
As per the draft notification, the extent of the ESZ varies from 100 metres to one kilometre around the BNP, with the total ESZ area being 168.84 sq km. But this excludes the 16 forest enclosure villages. Out of 77 villages included in the ESZ area, 61 have an extent of 1 km, while the other 16 have an extent of only 100 metres. These 16 villages fall in Bengaluru South (4), Anekal (3) and Kanakpura (9).
On the northern-most boundary of the park, the ESZ will be 100 metres in Pillganahalli, Gottigere, Basavanpura, Hommadevanahalli and Kalkere villages, while one kilometre in the eastern boundary in Vadarahalli, Gollahalli, Bannerghatta, Byrappanahalli, Mantapa, Ragihalli, Sivanahalli, Thattekere, and Thammanayakanahalli. On the southern boundary, it will maintain a distance of 1 km through Ganganahalli, Hunasanahalli, Tattekere, etc, while on the western boundary, the extent will be 100 metres for Guddeveerahosahalli, Salbanni, Hosadurga, Bommasandra, Bijahalli, Doddagulli, and other villages.
Jayaram further said, “The ESZ extent of 100 metres to one kilometer around the national park will not minimize the action taken against mining leases, as according to SC orders, mining or any such activity is prohibited within one km from the boundary of the protected area. Also, many have closed and only a few of them want to operate in this area. Further, the 100 metres extent is towards Bengaluru city, where there is neither mining or quarrying activity.”
However, activists say the forest department has not made it clear on how many mining leases are still operating in the ESZ. They add, “Till the final notification comes in, there is a clear cut deemed distance of 10 km default ESZ as per the MoEF 2013 circular. So has the department recommended action against leases that have no clearances from the state or National Board of Wildlife?”