Open road for night traffic: Kerala government

The Kerala government has decided to keep up the pressure on the Karnataka government to open up the Mysore-Mananthawadi road, that runs through Bandipur Tiger Reserve, for night traffic. Additional chief secretary of Kerala PK Mohanty will meet the Karnataka principal secretary forest, ecology and environment on Tuesday, to debate the issue.

The Karnataka high court closed two roads for night traffic, both passing through Bandipur National Park, as per its order dated March 9 and widened and relayed alternative roads which were only 30 km longer. The matter is currently pending to be heard before the Supreme Court and conservationists working in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve pointed out that the official level discussion could be in contempt of the court order. A copy of the order is available with dna.

“The illegal sand lobby, transport of cattle and the private transport lobby from Kerala, carrying enormous amounts of material at night to different places, are behind this consistent pressure from the Kerala government,” said Arun Simha, a conservationalist from Vanya Let the Wild Be Wild.