Karnataka High Court notice to State on plea to declare Mullayyanagiri Hills areas ‘conservation reserve’

The High Court of Karnataka has issued a notice to the State government over a petition demanding the declaration of the entire Mullayyanagiri Hills area in Chikkamagaluru district as a "conservation reserve" under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The petition was filed by the Bhadra Wildlife Conservation Trust and Wildlife Conservation Action Team.

The petition highlights that despite a draft proposal to declare around 14,183 acres of the hills as a conservation reserve in 2018, no final notification has been issued. The petitioners also allege that the authorities have ignored a High Court directive from July 2019, questioning road widening works between Mullayyanagiri and Seethalayanagiri during the draft proposal stage.

This delay in declaring the area as a conservation reserve has left it vulnerable to ecological damage, as construction activities permitted for tourism purposes have exacerbated deforestation and unregulated building. The Geological Survey of India's recent report further emphasizes the urgency of the matter, classifying the Mullayyanagiri and Chandradrona ranges as danger zones due to increased landslide risks from deforestation and unchecked construction.