Act against illegal resorts and homestays in tiger reserves: Ramalinga Reddy

Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy has instructed forest officials to swiftly address the issue of unauthorized resorts and homestays within the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) and buffer zones of numerous tiger reserves and protected areas. During a meeting of the Standing Committee of the State Board for Wildlife, Reddy requested information on the count of such establishments and other commercial activities in these zones, following the recent notification of ESZs for various tiger reserves and protected areas.

Reddy emphasized the importance of minimal disturbance in ESZ areas and proposed declaring them as silent zones. He also requested the development of Zonal Master Plans to educate the public on the rules governing these sensitive regions. At the meeting, a proposal for an eco-resort on private land within the buffer zone of Bhadra Tiger Reserve was postponed, while a proposal to permit quarrying activities in the ESZ of Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gadag was denied.

Additionally, proposals for electrification of BSNL saturation towers, OFC cables, and a small connecting bridge were approved for further consideration by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC NBWL).

The meeting also decided to present a proposal to the SC NBWL for the rationalization of the Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary's boundary, which had not been properly delineated during its notification. The Standing Committee decided not to modify the ESZ of Bannerughatta National Park, opting instead to submit an opinion to the Union government, stating that all existing elephant corridors are already encompassed by the ESZ and that the ESZ has been approved following thorough deliberations.

The committee also agreed to review the current buffer zone notifications for tiger reserves through a Technical Committee, assessing whether any modifications to the buffer zones are necessary.