Night safari at Bannerghatta Biological Park may be shifted to revenue land: Minister

Even as groups are divided over the formation of the night safari at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BNP), forest minister CH Vijay Shankar seemed to be unaware of the details of its location.

Speaking on the sidelines of an interaction with media persons, the minister said on Friday that permission for night safari had been given since it was on the buffer zone and it was an eco-tourism project. The tourism department and the minister had communicated this to the groups, he added.

But when asked about the extent of the buffer zone around BNP, he was unable to explain as it has not yet been demarcated by the government. The minister was also unable to explain whether permission will be given for such a safari if there is a buffer zone.

He also seemed to be unaware that the proposed project will be located on the elephant corridor.

Caught off guard by the ‘buffer zone’ query, the minister was, however, quick to add that if the proposed safari is going to violate forest rules, there will be no buffer zone and if it happens to be on the elephant corridor, the project will be shifted to a revenue land as suggested.

A forest department official, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that a buffer zone was still not declared around BNP.

If it is declared, then according to the Environment Protection Act, no commercial or non-forestry activities can take place in it. But the management plan of the forest department says that a buffer zone remains merely on paper and is not in reality outside the forest area spreading up to five km. It is now part of national parks and sanctuaries and as per the law, since it is inside the forest, no activity can be allowed.

Thus the proposed and much hyped night safari plan should be cancelled, the official said.

Buffer zone is a sensitive issue as it often gets violated by humans. In the buffer zones of Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves, resorts are cropping up without approval from the authorities concerned. When his attention was drawn to such businesses being conducted in violations of all norms, the minister said if they are illegal, all such non-forestry activities will be stopped.

On encroachments, he said if such cases are reported, they will be removed overnight. As an incentive, while the informants’ details will be kept confidential, a suitable reward will be given to them.

On encroachments in the elephant corridor which have left about 30 pachyderms displaced in Hassan, he said they will be promptly cleared. The state government has sent a proposal to the Centre to set up an elephant training camp.

Turning to mining activities in Bellary, he said a survey is under way and efforts are being made to stop it. He said he would be visiting all areas including Kudremukh to know their status and why court orders are not being followed.