It’s a jungle out there!

Activists demand wildlife flyover in Turahalli forest

By Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: The BBMP has begun work to develop a 3.5 km stretch on Uttarahalli Main Road, a project that requires the razing of 44 buildings and the acquisition of over 23,000 sq km of land. BBMP Executive Engineer (Road Infrastructure) Vishwas says, “Tree enumeration and survey of the land required for road widening is in progress.”

This road widening plan has been widely opposed by activists, residents and environmentalists alike, ever since it was mentioned in the Master Plan 2015, as it will eat into parts of Mylasandra Lake and Turahalli Reserve Forest. Environmentalists argue that it will be detrimental to the movement of wild animals inside the forest. A stretch of some 635 metres of the road passes through Turahalli, a statutorily notified forest. That’s not all they’re worried about. In addition to the road widening, there have been illegal grants of forest land, of survey numbers 59, 60, 61 and 68, at Mylasandra village.

Petitions submitted and ignored

The RR Nagar - I Care Trust has sent a petition to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the Additional Chief Secretary of Department of Forests and Ecology and the Executive Engineer of Road Infrastructure, BBMP on March 9 to consider a flyover or an underpass connecting the two fragmented patches of forests. The petition said that it would facilitate free movement of wildlife by connecting smaller patches of 100 acres of Mylasandra survey number 22 with that of Mylasandra survey number 26.

An online petition was filed by Keshava B.S., who says the state Forest Department must intervene and direct the BBMP authorities to find an alternative to facilitate movement of wild animals. “I don’t oppose the road widening but authorities must consider the wildlife, as this is a forest area. And there are other options, such as the model followed during the construction of the Mumbai Express Corridor,” he told News Trail.

The area is home to a wide variety of fauna, including spotted deer, wild boar, hares, jackals, lizards and mongoose. Turahalli is best known for its bird population, which includes rare species like the Eagleowl, Sirkeer Malkoha and the blue rock thrush, along with more common varieties like the paradise flycatcher, black drongo, Asian koels, jungle babbler and the pond heron. Hundreds of peacocks, birds, wild boar, jackals and porcupine thrive in the northern part of the forest alone, spread out over 100 acres. All these come under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. Members of the RR Nagar I – Care Trust say Uttarahalli Road cuts across the contiguous forest patch fragmenting them into two forest blocks. “This also fragments the wildlife habitat by prohibiting their free movement across the forest. Fragmentation of habitats has been the biggest threat to survival of wildlife,’’ said Niveditha Sunkad, a trustee.

Wildlife flyover approved over NH 209

The petition also mentions that a similar wildlife flyover has been approved over NH 209 connecting the Devikarani Estate off Kanakapura Highway facilitating free movement of elephants from Bannerghatta National Park to Savandurga forests in Ramanagara. It said that it will help in the reduction of air pollution, providing invaluable and intangible benefits for people in urban areas too, by reducing overall temperature, the enhanced infiltration of runoff rainwater and recharging the ground water table.

However, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Sanjay Mohan has assured to look into the matter and do the needful for the welfare of wildlife.

‘All we have is mindless urban growth’ says Suresh Heblikar, Enironmentalist

Designing a metropolitan city is a hugely complex task and needs a battery of specialists on board, if one doesn’t want to end up with a chaotic sprawl. The challenge lies in navigating the geology, topography, the trees, grasses and lakes. However, we tend to bulldoze ahead, with little regard for existing ecology. Public authorities have not treated climate with the seriousness it deserves – Ram Krishna Hegde was among the handful who took it into consideration.

The only answer to dealing with natural life when it comes to urban development seems to be total obliteration. The government’s latest move is to tell people living on Uttarahalli Road to vacate, so it can be widened. The government should really stop expanding the city, however. Especially with mindless projects like the one in Uttarahalli.

We are already beginning to pay the price for creating Bengaluru the way we have – this year’s unseasonal downpour is one form of ecological payback. Homes in low-lyin