Karnataka: Survey of land for elephant corridor in Anekal delayed further, officials cite rain
Karnataka: Survey of land for elephant corridor in Anekal delayed further,
officials cite rain
Aksheev Thakur, The Indian Express
November 25, 2021
See link
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/karnataka-survey-land-elephant-corridor-anekal-delayed-rain-7641273/lite/
for photo.
In May, Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner J Manjunath ordered the survey
of 1,129 acres of government land which would eventually be transferred to
the Karnataka forest department for the development of an elephant corridor
at survey number 69 in Shivanahalli village which comes under Anekal taluk.
Though the survey was initially slated to get over by the first week of
September, it is now learnt that the process will be delayed by a few
months. Anekal tehsildar Dinesh P said that monsoon rain delayed the survey
and the tribals are yet to be rehabilitated.
“The work was completely stopped during October and November due to heavy
rainfall. We will resume the work once the heavy rain stops. Moreover, the
tribals have to be rehabilitated after the survey. The process will take
some time,” he added.
Officials from the forest department say that the land which is being
surveyed adjoins the Bannerghatta National Park and has several human
habitats. The land after the completion of the survey will be eventually
transferred to the forest department.
“It is not an easy task to survey more than 1,000 acres of the revenue
land. The transfer will take time. Survey is needed to assess the extent of
the land,” principal chief conservator of forest (head of forest force),
Karnataka, Sanjay Mohan told The Indian Express.
Explaining the vulnerability of elephant corridors in Karnataka, former
principal chief conservator of forests B K Singh said, “There are six
important elephant corridors in Karnataka. An NGO named WTI has purchased
some private lands to secure one of the corridors connecting Yedehalli
forests and Doddasampige forests on Kollegal Bylore road. The remaining
five corridors are through human areas and are not secure. The government
has to acquire private lands and secure the corridors. Acquisition of
private lands has been talked about for at least two decades but without
any progress.”
The Lok Adalat 2011 ordered the transfer of 1,129-acre government land
falling under survey number 69 to the forest department for the development
of the elephant corridor. But the land transfer has not been done yet.
Vishnu Narain, managing trustee of Bannerghatta Nature Conservation Trust
who has filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court, said that a drone
survey was conducted by him and the same was sent to the deputy
commissioner’s office.
“The process should have got over. We have done the survey and marked the
encroachments and this should have given a fair idea to the government
officials. The delay in the survey is costing the environment since a huge
chunk of the land is encroached,” he added.