Night safari at Bannerghatta Biological Park moves a step closer to reality

Karnataka high court on Thursday gave a conditional green signal for the proposed night safari to be implemented at the Bannerghatta Biological Park while hearing a petition challenging the plan for nocturnal trips through the safari.

BR Deepak, a city-based advocate filed a PIL contending that granting permission for night safari was against the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

If night safari is allowed, it could lead to man-animal conflict. According to the act, wildlife should not be disturbed by vehicular movements. Besides the Central Zoo Authority is not the body to accord permission for conducting safari, he argued.

The state government got permission for the Biological National Park and not for the safari. In the 25,000 acres of the Bannerghatta National Park, around 1,807 acres of the land will be used for biological activities.

It is against section 35 of the Wildlife Protection Act, Deepak contended. A division bench pronounced the order that the night safari should be implemented according to the project report submitted by the state government. However, while implementing the project, hygiene should be maintained at the park, the court observed.

The Karnataka high court on June 16 had reserved the case for judgment. According to state government’s detailed project report submitted to the high court on 16 June 2010, all precautions will be taken to ensure conservation of wildlife and vegetation at the site.

Minimum space and construction material will be used for implementing the night safari concept, besides there would be no construction on water bodies, forest food would not be used and no labour camps will also be allowed.