BNP buffer zone cut: Online oppn gains momentum

Bengaluru: The online signature campaigns against the proposed move to reduce the area of Eco-Sensitive Zone around Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) are drawing a good response.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has revised the draft notification that proposes to reduce the area of Eco-Sensitive Zone around Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) by 100 sq km from 268.96 sq km to 169.84 sq km.

The online petitions have been launched by United Bengaluru and Jhatkaa.org. The petitions addressed to the Union Environment Ministry listed the ramifications of the reduced ESZ.

Jhatkaa.org and United Bengaluru have already garnered over 7,000 and 1,000 signatures respectively and are still counting.

United Bengaluru has stated that the arbitrary action of the government to reduce the ESZ not only threatens the fragile eco-system and biodiversity of BNP, but also defeats the stated purpose of establishing an ESZ to buffer impacts on the National Park. One of the senior forest officials of the BNP has said that the draft if implemented would be disastrous for the national park and the wildlife since there is a threat of increase human-animal conflict. The view of the forest officials have been echoed by the city-based activists as well.

"The MoEF must ensure that 268.96 sq km i.e the area stated in the draft notification from June 2016 is identified as ESZ. Any deviation from the earlier draft will not only impact residents and wildlife in and around the national park but its long-term effects will bear repercussions on Bengaluru city, which is on track of becoming an unliveable city," the United Bengaluru petition stated.