BENGALURU: Conservationists have approached the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) against widening of the Mysuru-Mananthavadi road (SH-17-D) that passes through the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (NTR).
They told TNIE that the public works department (PWD) and the forest department are said to have violated the Supreme Court orders in this regard. The conservationists said that work on widening a 21-km stretch of the highway between Udbur and Bavali check posts has been taken up. They alleged that the forest department has taken no steps to stop the work. “Notwithstanding the legal position, the PWD has commenced work on the highway in violation of the SC orders. Forest officials have not initiated any action to stop the work,” one of the applicants before the CEC alleged.
Of the 92.5-km stretch between Mysuru and Bavali, 63.6 km is outside the NTR and 28.9 km is inside it. Of the 28.9-km stretch, 11 km is in the core area of the tiger reserve. It is the prime habitat of elephants, tigers and gaurs. Elephants use this stretch from March to May to reach the Kabini backwaters, making it one of the largest elephant congregations.
The apex court while hearing IA 2278-2279 with 2275 in WP 202/1995 had issued directions to stop the road widening work and had imposed a ban on the movement of vehicles from 6pm to 6am on this stretch inside NTR.
The CEC and the court accepted the recommendation made by the National Board for Wildlife Sub-committee on December 22, 2014 that status quo of the roads across national parks and core tiger habitats should be maintained. It was acknowledged that those roads could be maintained and repaired in the best manner possible in their current form and width. No further widening of roads inside the protected areas is allowed.
The applicants said the NBWL had clearly stated that if it is an existing asphalted road, then it should be maintained as it is. No widening of the asphalted surface or the road is permitted. But that rule is not being followed.
PWD officials were not available for comment. Kumar Pushkar, principal chief conservator of forests, wildlife, said no permission to widen the road has been given. Only repair and maintenance works have been undertaken inside the forest. Another senior forest official said there is pressure on forest officials over road widening and repair works outside the forest on either side, particularly in Kerala. It is nothing but a demand for equal road width and lifting the night traffic ban on roads passing through Bandipur and Nagarahole.