BENGALURU: There have been three deaths in the past week in and around Bannerghatta National Park (BNP). The fragmented national park abuts the state capital, Bengaluru, and faces constant threat of encroachment and garbage litter.
In the early hours of Friday, 55-year-old Hakki Pikki tribal Chikkamadaiah, who worked as a watcher, died in an elephant attack. According to his colleagues, the incident happened around 12.30am, when they were on night duty near Dodda Bande in Bannerghatta range of BNP. They saw an elephant herd pass by.
After some time, Chikkamadaiah heard a noise. He came out of his solar fence shed to check, when he was hit by a wild Makhana (tuskless male). The impact was so hard that he died on the spot, and his body was taken to Victoria Hospital for postmortem.
On July 10, Suresh, a 45-year-old villager, was found dead in Kodihalli range. On July 6, a 38-year old farmer was reported dead in the same range. The deaths were suspected to have been caused by a wandering wild tusker.
Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar B Khandre and senior forest officials visited Chikkamadaiah’s family and condoled his death. Khandre announced compensation of Rs 25 lakh to each family, and a job to a family member on compassionate grounds.
BNP Deputy Conservator of Forests Prabhakar Priyadarshi said Chikkamadaiah was one of the finest watchers and had been with BNP for 25 years.
A senior forest official said the number of elephants in the area has increased. There are around 125 elephants here, but their number swells to even 220 at times. Movement of elephants is high, as BNP borders Tamil Nadu and shares boundaries with Kanakapura, Cauvery and Ramanagara forest ranges.
“The problem has aggravated as movement of people has increased, there has been an increase in civil activities, encroachment and people’s presence. There is a shortage of funds to create rail barricades and replace old solar and barbed barriers.
There is also shortage of ground staff,” the official admitted. Friday’s incident is a lesson that staffers on night duty need adequate security, he said. “Villagers are told not to wander at night. Technological interventions need to be brought in to ensure staff safety,” the official said.
ACTIVISTS PETITION SC
Activists and members of Bannerghatta Conservation Trust have again petitioned the Supreme Court on increasing encroachments and civil works in and around BNP. “Last year, they had penned a letter to PM Modi, pointing to anomalies in BNP. The PM had directed the chief secretary and chief conservator of forests to submit a report, but nothing has moved forward. Increasing human deaths is a sign of mistakes on ground and no attention being paid.”