Stone quarries ravage Western Ghats’ Cauvery wildlife sanctuary

Krishnagiri: In a shocking violation of environment laws and Supreme Court order, stone quarries are damaging theeco-sensitive Western Ghats inside the newly-declared Cauvery North Wild Life Sanctuary in Krishnagiri district.

The 500 sq km reserve forest areas, next to Bannarghatta sanctuary in Bengaluru and extending up to Hosur forest division, were recently declared as Cauvery North wildlife sanctuary, to protect the jumbo corridor.

However, right inside the new sanctuary, at least 30 stone quarries with crushing units, run by large mining companies, continue their operations, threatening the fragile ecology of the Western Ghats and its wildlife.

The DC has captured revealing pictures of four tipper lorries entering the sanctuary area at Perandapalli in Podurapalli reserve forest and loading the crushed gravel quarried from the hills. The quarry unit has posted a security watch tower too to keep a close vigil on any strangers entering the area.

Besides Perandapalli, quarrying goes on unabated in Nagamangalam, Naickenapalli and Soolakunta reserve forests inside the wildlife sanctuary.

“Quarrying is banned inside wildlife sanctuaries. But in Cauvery North sanctuary, granite and stone quarrying continues recklessly in at least 30 places. Quarries have to be closed if the government is keen on protecting the sanctuary,” says M.Gnanasekaran, an advocate of Hosur, who had filed a writ against the stone quarrying in Krishnagiri forests.

The quarries use explosives to blast stones, forcing animals out of their habitats and leading to an alarming increase in jumbo attacks on villagers in the forest fringes. This year alone, five people have been trampled by elephants in Krishnagiri district.

However, when contacted, district forest officer A.K.Ulaganathan claimed that the quarries operate either on the revenue land or on the private lands in the sanctuary. “If the quarries cause disturbance to wild animals, action will be taken,” he said.

Meanwhile, district Collector T.P.Rajesh is said to have rejected the forest department’s recent report which claimed that no quarrying was being done in any part of the sanctuary. “The collector has asked for a fresh survey from the forest department,” a senior district official said.