BENGALURU: With easing of restrictions and finalization of ESZ (eco-sensitive zone) of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), a joint survey is going on to permit quarrying and stone crushing in the critical elephant corridor area of Bengaluru Rural district. The Karnataka High Court had shut activities of 15 mining leases in 2018 as a departmental survey had revealed illegal mining in many survey numbers of Anekal taluk.
In the wake of efforts to re-start mining after a gap of two years, environmentalists expressed their concern as stoppage had resulted in wildlife thriving in the elephant corridor area. This was due to decrease in air and water pollution as also emissions. Earlier, the State mines and geology department had sought verification of mining leases in nine survey numbers located in eight villages of Anekal taluk. It had asked the forest department to check whether these leases fell outside or within the ‘1km Safe Zone’ from the boundary of the national park.
As per 1991 Safe Zone rule, no mining is permitted within 1km from a national park or sanctuary.
All the nine survey numbers – 69 and 10 (Shivanahalli), 47, 48 and 56 (Mahantalingapura), 18 (Gidenahalli) 16/5, (Kannanayakana Agrahara), 23 and 177 (Thammanayakanahalli) where permission for mining has been sought fall in the crucial critical elephant corridor of Bannerghatta. Since the stoppage of mining in these villages, officials say elephants are back, man-conflict has reduced while there has been frequent sightings of elephant herds at water holes.
The joint survey which is presently going on is a cumbersome task, say officials. “Some mining leases are right on the 1km boundary while some are within and some just o.1 metres from the safe zone. Since the ESZ Monitoring Committee has not been formed even after the March notification, the task has become tougher for the field staff. Earlier, many (as per 2018 joint survey) were found illegally mining even outside their permitted area. Some had even touched the national park boundary. This time, ‘survey numbers’ are being probed thoroughly so that none of them breach the km safe zone rule,” said an official.
Vijay Nishanth, urban conservationist, said, “Since our fight for retaining the 2016 ESZ notification did not succeed, the miners are finally back to destroy BNP which is the last remaining lung space for Bengaluru. But we are not going to keep quiet as it is a question of the health of citizens of Bengaluru. The pandemic has shown how important are green spaces for the survival of man....” Bhanuprakash of Bannerghatta Nature Conservation Trust said, “Forests and wildlife were peaceful for the past 2.5 years during the default 10 km rule. If quarrying is now permitted, then the crucial corridor will be lost forever.”