Declare Roerich Estate a biodiversity zone: Board

BENGALURU: To protect rich biodiversity on the outskirts of Bengaluru, the Karnataka Biodiversity Board has stressed upon the state government to declare the Devika Rani Roerich Estate as a biodiversity hotspot.They have also asked the government and Estate Board to revive the oil extraction and perfume making machine on the estate. The machine was specially brought and installed there to extract oil from Bursera (Indian Lavender) which was brought to the estate in 1912. 

Stressing on this demand, Board chairman Ananth Hegde Ashisara submitted the proposal to Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar on Wednesday. In the proposal, a copy of which is with TNIE, he said the tradition of making perfumes and extracting oils should be revived and spread to other districts. 

“The estate is unique as it is a natural landscape and has a tree park. It is rich in biodiversity and needs to be protected. I had visited the estate with other Board members a few days ago. It is also part of the elephant corridor.

The government should work on clearing garbage and plastic piles en route to the estate, on Kanakapura Road. Karnataka Biodiversity Board members should be made a part of the Roerich Estate Board,” Ashisara said. 

The estate, spread across 467 acres, has 128 variety of plants, including 400 Indian Lavender plants. All the plants have been recorded and recognised by the Biodiversity Board. In 2016 too, the Board had tried to get the area declared a biodiversity hotspot, but the government did not take it forward. 

The proposal suggested that the estate be developed into an eco-tourism destination, but without any commercial structures, and people’s entry should be restricted to certain zones. The lake on the estate also houses unique fish species and should be protected.