Last Chance To Save Bannerghatta - Activists Fight Govt Decision To Reduce Eco-Sensitive Zone

The Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) the green lungs of Bengaluru as we know will be gone forever if the government goes ahead and reduces its eco-sensitive zone, this is the sentiment shared by activists and environmentalists fighting to save the delicate ecosystem.

Namma Bengaluru Foundation's campaign United Bengaluru which is spearheading the citizen movement against the government's proposal to reduce the ESZ to 168.84 sq km, with distances varying from 100 metres to 1 km around the boundary said they will submit a fresh petition to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

Activists said they were alarmed to know that the BJP government under Yediyurappa which was against the move when they were in the opposition is going ahead with a step that will alter the region forever.

Earlier this week, Yediyurappa had written to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar asking him to notify the eco-sensitive zone of Bannerghatta.

According to the State Government's recommendation, the ESZ around BNP will be reduced by 100 sq km.

United Bengaluru is, however, urging the government to retain the original 268 sq km area marked as an ESZ zone as per a 2016 draft notification to remain so. This draft notification was passed based on 2011 guidelines issued by the Union Environment Ministry.

They argue that the reduction of ESZ will result in more human-animal conflicts and will pose a threat to the wildlife and the natural flora and fauna of the area.

"Earlier the BJP had given a representation in the upper house stating that the ESZ should not be reduced. Now after coming to power they have made a u-turn," Vijay Nishanth, a Bengaluru-based activist said.

He has also launched an online petition to gather support for the cause.

"ESZ is the protective layer of BNP without which BNP will get fragmented and disintegrate. The reduction of ESZ has direct negative consequences on the health and happiness of people of Bengaluru. This will obstruct wildlife corridor and result in man-animal conflicts. It will cut water streams feeding Cauvery and our taps will run dry sooner than later. We already have Asthma in 25% of children in Bengaluru, which is likely to go up with an increase in air pollution," Harish Kumar, the General Manager of Namma Bengaluru Foundation explained.

"We have conveyed the message to the government through the media. It will be formally done with a collective representation. We are confident that the government will withdraw the proposal," Kumar said.