By Meera Bhardwaj
Although the project to open up Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, India for tourism has been put on hold presently, the pressure from vested interests continues. Nugu WLS, which is just a tiny but significant dot on the state’s wildlife map with tiger and elephant footprints on the northern side of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, is being opened up for tourism and is likely to have a Safari Zone.
This development has happened even though Nugu has already been designated as a buffer to the Core Critical Tiger Habitat of Bandipur and the same has been notified by NTCA. In this matter, affidavits have been filed in the apex court on a PIL which ensured a “Blanket Ban” on Tiger Tourism across the country. In this background, wildlife experts question how the forest department can shut their eyes to all precedents and its own adherence to court directives.
NUGU MANAGEMENT PLAN?
A former forest official says, “There appears to be something seriously wrong with the Bandipur Tiger Reserve managers. This is more so when viewed in the background of drawing a separate Management Plan for Nugu WLS and pushing this Tourism Zone under the garb of a separate PA. Nugu is only three percent of Bandipur Tiger Reserve and the chief wildlife warden cannot allow this to happen unless and until the Tiger Conservation Plan of Bandipur is revised and approved by the NTCA. This in all probability will never be approved by the NTCA.”
Wildlife experts and activists have appealed to the state forest department and said they should not permit another Tourism Zone in the area of Bandipur Tiger Reserve as it is against the 2012 directives of Supreme Court. Further, they allege it is to favour the son of a well-known politician who has amassed lands in the backwaters of the Nugu Dam.
CORE CRITICAL TIGER HABITAT
Raising objections on opening up of Nugu for tourism, experts opine Nugu is part of the notified Buffer Zone of Bandipur Tiger Reserve since 2010 and ESZ since 2012. Therefore, it is not possible to have any more area as a Tourism Zone. As per Section 38 (V) Sub-section (4), a tiger reserve means “Core Critical Tiger Habitat” and also the “Buffer Zone” of a Tiger Reserve. And since Nugu is part of the notified buffer zone and ESZ OF Bandipur TR, it cannot be opened up for tourism. The argument that it is a separate wildlife sanctuary does not stand as it is legally part of Bandipur TR Buffer Zone.
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
One more Safari Zone means one more front is exposed in a tiger reserve area and it will surely lead to a lot of commercial activities. With this opening up, setting up of various units of hospitality sector and retail shopping will take off. Such violations have happened time and again even though new commercial activities under ESZ are not allowed.
Since both Bandipur and Nagarhole Tiger Reserves are already saturated and cannot be opened up further, so now the 30.32 square kilometre area of Nugu where one can see tigers and elephants traversing the backwaters, is now being eyed as a tourist centre. Although the apex court directives are very clear on excessive tourism in tiger reserves, if we need to open up more areas for tourism in tiger reserves, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has to accord permission. Apart from this, all the details of Tourism Zones in tiger reserves have been filed in the Supreme Court in 2012.
POLITICAL APPEASEMENT
Activists question whether Nugu’s opening up for tourism is due to son of a politician who has amassed a lot of private lands in the backwaters of Nugu Dam. “This person has been amassing backwater lands for many years. “Are they under pressure to favour this person and his commercial interest? Is “Nugu tourism” zone for the benefit of commercial interest of politicians?” they allege.
A forest official adds, “In a Tiger Reserve, one cannot open any more area for tourism as the “Existing Tourism Zone” is part of the Tiger Conservation Plan. In fact, details about Tourism Zones in India’s Tiger Reserves were filed before the Supreme Court in 2012. This was in the wake of a petition filed by Dubey on the issue of excessive and uncontrolled tourism in Tiger Reserves across the country.”
PART OF NILGIRI BIOSPHERE RESERVE
Lying on its western side, the backwaters of Nugu Dam forms part of the Sanctuary. On the south western side, the area touches Alaganchi State Forest which comes under Bandipur National Park (Project Tiger Area). During summers when the backwater recedes, the foreshore area becomes a temporary grassland due to the availability of fodder and water. One can keenly observe the migration of elephants and tigers from the adjoining area and congregate in the foreshore area. The Kabini Dam backwaters separate the tiger reserves of Bandipur and Nagarhole in the districts of Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu. When the dam level is full, the flow of water can be seen to an extent of three to five kilometres. Also, elephants and tigers can be seen swimming frequently across these waters which are infested with crocodiles.
Nugu was declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 17 June, 1974 and much of the north western part of the Sanctuary is occupied by the Nugu dam. During 2003-04, it was added to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Since it touches Bandipur on the southern side, elephants keep migrating from Bandipur to Nugu and back. In fact, it is due to the abundance of water in Nugu that pachyderms come to Nugu during all seasons.
PART OF BANDIPUR ESZ
The sanctuary comprises Lakshmanapura State Forest and adjacent revenue land of Mullurgudda. The boundary of the sanctuary is demarcated by excavating the elephant proof trench and installation of solar fencing all along the boundary of the sanctuary. However, all these barriers need regular maintenance.
Nugu WLS remains the most vulnerable area as far as Human-Elephant Conflicts are concerned. There have been maximum elephant depredation cases with full knowledge that Nugu is an elephant conflict hot zone. So, in this background, why should a disturbing activity like Safari be promoted here? What is the compulsion that the department has to open this area for safari? Nugu Tourism zone neither benefits wildlife, the local farmers nor the environment.
ECOTOURISM PROPOSAL
However, forest officials say Nugu had always been proposed for developing it for Eco-tourism and Nature Education Centre for recreation, education and scientific exploration. The Bandipur National Park is situated adjacent to the sanctuary and as such there is heavy movement of tourists moving towards Bandipur to Nagarhole through Nugu sanctuary. The undulating terrain, rocky hillocks and a wide variety of flora and fauna offer ample opportunity to the nature lovers. Hence eco- tourism by way of nature camps can be introduced on a modest scale.
As per Management Plans of the Sanctuary, the Foreshore area of Nugu is an ideal place for nature camp which are mainly meant for young groups, school children, nature lovers etc. “Other minimum facilities like makeshift accommodation, cooking, drinking and toilet facilities need to be provided. Watch tower needs to be constructed. Activities for visitors may include identification of birds and animals, bird watching, trekking etc. However, identification of separate tourism zones is not practical. The entire sanctuary area may be utilized for tourism activities. We already have a budget for publicity, nature camp equipment and nature awareness programs….”
BANDIPUR PUBLIC HEARING
It was on 4th October, 2012 that Bandipur became the first national park in the country to get its Eco Sensitive Zone notified. This was achieved not just due to the Forest Department’s leadership but also with the active participation and support of all regional political leaders and gram panchayat representatives.
In a public hearing chaired by the then MLA Mahadeva Prasad, people vociferously protested against increasing more carrying capacity for tourism activity and so, Bandipur ESZ has only one Tourism Zone that is Zone-A which is in and around Mangala or the present Bandipur HQ area. Any decision which is taken against public will is arbitrary and against public policy. There is no scope for any tourism activity in Bandipur beyond Mangala as it violates ESZ guidelines as also the will of the local people.
What does the ESZ notification say on this issue?
Eco-Sensitive Zone notification clearly prohibits any change of land use in the interest of wildlife. In fact, farmers and private landowners outside the national park are prevented from converting their existing land from agriculture to non-agriculture purposes. There are many instances in the state where forest officials have prevented commercial activity up to 3 Kms outside the park under ESZ guidelines.
DOES IT BENEFIT WILDLIFE?
A former PCCF adds, “There have been multiple instances where the department has got into fights with the tourism lobby and prevented footprints of luxury tourism like Apna Sapna resorts, Saadbin Jung construction, Khan Gufa, Tiger Ranch, etc. Even recently, the DC of Chamarajanagar in the wake of reports from CF Bandipur, has cancelled land conversion orders issued to private home stay facilities in Mangala surroundings. This has been the stand of the department all along, now why this tectonic shift? And how does the wildlife benefit from this?”
It is disturbing that the forest department itself is promoting commercial activity by facilitating tourism in Nugu, bemoan activists. If the tourism zone opens, there will be a spur of commercial activities like hotels, restaurants, parking lots, toilet complexes with generation of food waste and plastic debris. This development will gradually turn Nugu into a tourism belt for homestays and resorts and subsequently big luxury hotels to mushroom.
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