BENGALURU: In a change of tack, environment groups from Kerala join the 'Save Bandipur' Campaign.
With farmers, lawyers and common people in Karnataka joining the 'Save Bandipur' campaign by environmentalists and wildlife groups, people from Wayanad and other parts of Kerala too joined the protest today at the Maddur Range check post in Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
On the NH-212, it was a silent protest against the Centre's proposal for construction of an elevated road in this protected area which has one of the highest numbers of tigers and elephants. Nearly 250 people - including farmer's group from Gundulpet, tribal communities from Chamrajnagara, NGO groups from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kerala and Delhi took part which has now come under a common banner the 'United Conservation Movement.'
Supporting the 9 pm to 6 am night traffic ban in Bandipur, Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi President and WCS India partner, N Badusha told TNIE that they had joined the movement as Bandipur was an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere. He added, "Our fight is common - we strongly support the ban and are totally against the Centre's elevated road proposal as it will be extremely harmful to flora and fauna. It is not just an elevated road but also widening it followed by an 8-meter steel wall for 25 kilometres."
Wayanad is today a hot spot for man-animal conflicts and increasingly, wildlife is entering villages, resulting in a frequent conflict situation, Badusha added. "If this project is allowed - it will be a disaster for both the states. Majority of Kerala people are silently supporting this cause, however, vested interest including smugglers, businessmen, politicians, etc are opposing the ban and want a corridor that will fragment the tiger reserve once for all."
Environmentalists and wildlife activists who have launched a series of protests in Mysuru and Chamrajnagara districts said, "We are against any kind of elevated roads in Bandipur Tiger Reserve or lifting of the Night Traffic Ban. Traffic-related accidents have killed many a wildlife in this area, however, there was a considerable reduction in the killings after the night ban was imposed. Lifting this ban will pose a grave danger and increase the possibility of road kills especially tigers. In Karnataka, only six per cent of the land mass is under wildlife habitats. If caution is not exercised now, we will be left with no wildlife in our forests."
Recently, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had filed a submission before the Supreme Court on the opening of NH-212 during night time by the construction of four elevated corridors of one-kilometre length each with humps and road signages. Further, MoRTH suggested broadening of the highway by 15 meters with two carriageways as well as the building of a steel wall.