BENGALURU: As the Bandipur night traffic ban (NTB) issue and Centre’s elevated structure proposal comes up for hearing in the Supreme Court this week, the Forest Department says any elevated road will sound the death knell for Asiatic elephants in the Mysore Elephant Reserve.
Chief Wildlife Warden and PCCF (wildlife) C Jayaram told The New Indian Express, “It’s not just tigers, it is a question of serious disturbance to elephants and their survival. In the Bandipur reserve, there are a lot of genetically viable numbers, which are different from the actual number of 6,000 elephants in state. Out of 6,000 elephants, 90 per cent are in Mysore Elephant Reserve. Our recent elephant census found that 14% are part of the viable population, meaning they are capable of breeding. In Kerala, it is still lower while in Tamil Nadu, it is just above 10 per cent. So, if the Asiatic elephant species has to survive, Bandipur cannot afford any kind of disturbance, be it traffic or elevated roads. We will bring this issue before the Supreme Court as it is a question of the survival of a species.”
The Save Bandipur Campaign continues with protesters agitating against the Centre’ elevated road proposal for the tiger reserve. While the Forest Department has reiterated that there is no change in Karnataka‘s stand of rejecting both Kerala’s demand for the removal of NTB and the Centre’s elevated road proposal.
The Chief Wildlife Warden said, “Our stand on both NTB and the elevated road proposal by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been clear. The state opposes it. We have made it clear to the Centre and we will file an additional affidavit before the Supreme Court. The proposed road goes through a critical core area and there is no question of any elevated structure. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change too has put forth our stand.”
Protesters gathered on Saturday at Freedom Park said that the government should not create elevated roads and barricades in Bandipur Tiger Reserve.“Even as the nation protests the killing of tigress Avni, we are protesting against shrinking forests and dwindling wildlife in the state. This is one of the biggest campaigns launched and people from 10 countries are supporting us. We are asking for support to save 140 tigers that roam freely in the Bandipur tiger reserve that is part of the Nilgiri biosphere. Tigers and elephants can move freely only if the Centre and Kerala give up their determined plans to build elevated and barricaded structures on NH-212 on a 28 km stretch. If this ecologically disastrous proposal is accepted by the Supreme Court on November 17, we will have to brace for more natural calamities.”