Activists have taken umbrage at the road-widening work from Bhuvalli to Muttathi in Sangama range of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Though the local field staff stepped in and have stopped the work besides seizing constructional material, there are concerns over political pressure being brought on them to get the work started again.
βThe entire stretch of 14 km of road cutting through the wildlife sanctuary is being broadened, which is against the law. It is mandatory to seek permission of the State Wildlife Board before embarking on such projects within a national park or wildlife sanctuaries but in this case it has been ignored,β according to Santosh Kumar, a wildlife activist from the region.
This is an old road and the existing road can be asphalted but it cannot be widened, he added. The road is closed for night traffic and the stretch is known for wildlife crossing and movement of elephants is considered to be high. Other sources said the existing road β prior to the widening project β was sufficient given the traffic density and unduly expanding it would only draw more traffic, which could pose a threat to wildlife.
Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary is spread across Chamarajanagar, Ramanagaram and Mandya districts with an area of nearly 1,027 sq. km. The work comes close on the heels of similar road-widening work, which was reported from the adjoining M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary some time ago.
Mr. Kumar said the linear intrusion projects are exponentially increasing and it posed a threat to wildlife as evident in frequent road kills of wild animals being reported from across the country.
The views are reckoned to be pertinent as a few NGOs have moved the High Court against road widening in Mullayanagiri Hill on the grounds that the project has been taken up without any approval from the authorities concerned as required under the relevant law.