BENGALURU: Notified way back in 1974, the Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary will be redrawn to give it a realistic boundary.
The rationalization of one of the oldest sanctuaries of Karnataka, Shettihalli falls in CM’s home district of Shivamogga.
The draft proposal is coming up before the state Wildlife Board, whose chairman is the CM, on Monday. However, activists have voiced their protest on the exclusion of two state forests from the sanctuary.
Presently, the sanctuary has both Shivamogga taluk and parts of Shivamogga city and even the city bus stand falling within the sanctuary as also schools/colleges (PESIT) and agricultural fields.
The draft proposal includes an addition of 50 sq km of Umbalebailu, an adjoining rich forest area teeming with wildlife.
This will provide connectivity between Shettihalli and Bhadra Tiger Reserve. But the proposal excludes two state forests – Purdhal and Kudi - of 25 sq km each from the sanctuary.
The exercise of redrawing of the sanctuary began a few years back with the recommendation of exclusion of human settlements from the PA.
But any exclusion from the sanctuary which has a notified area of 396 sq m – the MoEF had told the state government - the same amount of area has to be added. As per 1974 notification, the area enclosed by boundary is 700 sq km while the wildlife area is 396 sq km.
However, wildlife NGOs and activists are upset with the forest department’s proposal. Akhilesh Chipli said, “In doing this, the CCF has left out two crucial state forests of Purdhal and Kudi which are presently within the sanctuary and support good wildlife habitats. With natural forests, the density of wildlife too is very good and so let it remain part of the sanctuary. Further, some area of Shettihalli falls within Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari and with the government sanctioning Rs 5 crore in this budget – how can non-forest activities be taken up in this area? So this is an open move to remove such forest areas including encroachments from the ambit of Shettihalli.”
Speaking to TNIE, CCF of Shivamogga (wildlife division) Srinivasulu said, “Since the sanctuary had been facing problems for the last 40 years, rectification was needed. Delineation of boundary has been necessary for administrative reasons. The boundary redrawing will see addition of more than 50 sqkm and consolidation of forest areas. It will also address the corridor need (Umbalebailu) to Bhadra Tiger Reserve. The exclusion of state forests has been proposed as they include encroached and disturbed areas --- affecting the people including Sharavathi relocatees. Purdhal is a good forest but 30-40 % is disturbed. The problem is festering for four decades and this proposal will be a win-win situation for both forests and people.”
What’s added, what’s stopped
In the draft proposal for Shettihalli, the state forest department has retained 345 sq km inside the original boundary and has proposed an addition of 57 sq km of Umbalebailu – an adjoining forest area but excluded Purdhal and Kudi state forests (5o sq km) which is now part of the sanctuary.