BENGALURU: With the state government moving to redraw the boundaries of Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary in Shivamogga district, the Centre has asked it to submit a ‘draft notification’ specifying the exact area and need for alteration in a Protected Area (PA), which was notified way back in 1974.
The state government had submitted a proposal to the Centre to change the boundaries of Shettihalli sanctuary by excluding more than 300sqkm, on which are spread many villages, towns and agricultural lands. Welcoming the move, wildlife activists said redrawing the boundary is a better solution, as boundaries were defined but never demarcated.
At present, an area of 349.6sqkm of the total 395sqkm of Shettihalli is under the control of Shivamogga wildlife division. The remaining 46sqkm is yet to be included. This protected area was notified as a sanctuary on November 23, 1974, and finally notified in January 1977.
The 51st Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), which held its meeting recently, said that once the state government sends the draft notification to the MoEF, it will be examined, and if the need arises, the boundary issue will be re-examined by a committee. In fact, the Standing Committee has recommended the state government’s proposal in principle.
However, Dr H S Singh, member, NBWL, said the committee constituted by the Karnataka government will prepare a report to denotify parts of Shettihalli.“To compensate for alternation of boundaries and reduction of Shettihalli, an equivalent area of 300sqkm should be added to the sanctuary, as has been done in previous cases,” he added.