Extensive tourism and construction of commercial resorts in important wildlife migratory corridors has become a serious problem to wildlife conservation in several of Karnataka’s protected areas.
Illegal resort activity is threatening Bandipur’s forest boundaries in Gundlupet Taluk. On Tuesday, the forest department booked a case against Tropical Wilderness and Wellness Pvt Ltd, clearing forest land, changing land use patterns without permission and for constructions in a wildlife corridor without obtaining permission. An older project, the Tiger Ranch in Mangala village, is also under the scanner for illegal land acquisition from tribals. The latter is however more difficult to take action against, as it is owned by a BJP MLC. The forest department has recently submitted a proposal to declare the Gundlupet Taluk as an Eco Sensitive Zone under the Environment Protection Act of 1986. This scrub forest is the only area in Bandipur where Blackbuck and Hyena can be sighted.
Also read coverage in Deccan Herald, 23rd March 2011.
CI is a non-profit, non-commercial portal that aims to facilitate wildlife and nature conservation by providing reliable information and the tools needed to campaign effectively.
