The Forest Department and wildlife activists have locked horns over the legality of roadwork inside Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife sanctuary. This comes close on the heels of the ongoing protest against the highway project through Bandipur that is gaining traction.
The genesis of the current issue pertains to the alleged illegal widening of 4.5 km stretch of road connecting Hanur to Ramapura via Ajjipura inside the sanctuary, within the Hanur buffer zone.
When the Public Works Department (PWD) took up the work last year, activists pointed out that it was illegal to upgrade a road within a wildlife sanctuary without the permission of the State and the national boards for wildlife. Consequently, the work was stopped midway.
Now, activists have expressed concern over the commencement of the work recently. “The failure of the authorities to initiate action against the PWD has encouraged them to restart the work now,” they stated.
When contacted, Deputy Conservator of Forests Yadukondalu said he had been apprised of the issue and there was no widening of the road. “The law permits maintaining existing roads without entailing any upgrade like widening. Hence, the PWD has been asked to maintain the same width and repair the road already in place,” he said.
But wildlife activists remain unconvinced and state that the sanctuary was already under undue stress due to anthropogenic pressures. This road upgrade will add further pressure on this limited wildlife space, they added.
It was pointed out that the stretch from Hanur to Ajjipura has dense vegetation on both sides and is home to endangered species like the Asiatic elephant, leopard, and tiger. The existing road already acts a barrier to the movement of animals.
“In two separate incidents, spotted deer were found killed by vehicular collision in the last five months. If roadworks were to be allowed further, there is a possibility of more such kills which might ultimately isolate the movement of wildlife to a smaller area increasing human-wildlife conflict,” they cautioned.
Incidentally, the State Transport Commissioner and RTO Chamarajanagar passed an order to implement a 30 kmph speed limit for vehicles passing through forested areas based a report on wildlife mortality on such highways. Hence, the activists hold that the Forest Department, being custodians of this sanctuary, must stop the work.
However, the official said they will not allow ‘an inch’ of additional widening of the road and claimed that the ongoing work was not an upgrade.