Bengaluru: Unlawful activities have come to light in the protected area of the Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve in Chamarajanagar district, where resorts, homestays, and lodges are reportedly operating illegally.
A report submitted by the intelligence department to the Karnataka government reveals the unauthorized constructions, listing them prominently.
The department has not granted permission for any commercial activities, including tourism-related ventures, in these protected areas.
The report also mentions that the owners, in violation of regulations, have been conducting various activities for personal gain, even altering the landscape in the name of wildlife conservation.
A senior officer of the ADGP rank of the intelligence department on condition of anonymity told Siasat.com that the department submitted a report in detail about illegal activities going on under the guise of the hospitality industry by flouting eco-sensitive zone norms.
The department emphasizes that none of the prominent establishments on the list have obtained permission for ecotourism activities from the tourism department.
Additionally, the report highlights that these entities have not received clearance from the Wildlife Conservation Board and the Environment Monitoring Committee. The owners are accused of not only constructing buildings against regulations but also engaging in other unauthorized activities for their benefit under the pretext of wildlife conservation.
The report also sheds light on the extensive construction carried out by the owners of Gorukana Ayurvedic Eco wellness resort.
Despite the initial purpose of the land being reserved for educational and healthcare facilities related to the Girijana (tribal) Kalyana Kendra (GKK), the property is currently being used for resort operations. The government had allotted the land to the Institute of Public Health (IPH) Bengaluru, previously known as GKK, to conduct research related to the health of tribal communities.
The Chamarajanagara DC has cancelled the land conversion order for violation of norms. The resort owners approached the court which dismissed their plea. However the resort is still operational.
The situation came to the department’s attention when Giridhar Kulkarni, a resident of Belagavi, filed a complaint with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in Delhi. Harini Venugopal, the Assistant Inspector of forests of NTCA, submitted a report to the state government on November 8, 2022, confirming the unauthorized activities, stating that these establishments are operating without adhering to any regulations.
The department has also highlighted the violation of the Wildlife Conservation Act, Clause 33A, which prohibits any construction within the core area of wildlife sanctuaries without prior permission from the National Board for Wildlife. However, the state government has not initiated any action.
The intelligence report further details the ongoing legal proceedings against the owners of the resorts, homestays, and lodges. This revelation has brought the spotlight on the BRT Tiger Reserve’s conservation efforts, raising concerns about the unauthorized exploitation of these ecologically sensitive areas.
The state government is yet to take concrete steps to address these violations, posing a threat to the delicate balance of the region’s biodiversity.
The BRT Wildlife Sanctuary was declared a Biligiri Ranganath Temple Tiger Reserve by the state government in 2011. The government in the year 2019 declared the revenue village and tiger reserve under BRT as a BRT eco-sensitive zone.
The notification was issued on 19 Including the 6 km outer area of the Tiger Reserve, the total area is 262.43 sq km. The area of BRT village is 22,640.12 acres, of which 22,215.12 acres are reserve forest. 560..20 acres of revenue and private land. Lodges, homestays, and resorts are operating on revenue and private land.
Karnataka is the second largest tiger-populated state after Madhya Pradesh in the country.
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