
Meera Bhardwaj:
Hesarghatta Grasslands finally gets the status of a CONSERVATION RESERVE.
With people’s campaign and activism and Bengaluru’s desperate need for green cover in the north-western parts of Bengaluru city, the Karnataka government granted this status on Monday in the meeting of the Karnataka State Board for Wildlife (SBWL).

It was in 2021 that activists went to the High Court with urban conservationist & tree doctor Vijay Nishanth and Mahesh Bhatt & two others filing two separate petitions after its rejection by the Karnataka SBWL.
Now after a three-year-long wait, Karnataka SBWL has approved the formation of 5010 acres of Hesarghatta grasslands and wetlands as Greater Hesarghatta Grasslands Conservation Reserve.

It was on May 26, 2022 that High Court directed the state government not to “alter the nature of the grasslands” in any manner.
The directions were based on two PILs filed by Vijay Nishanth and Mahesh Bhat that was clubbed together by the High Court.

KARNATAKA HIGH COURT DIRECTIONS
According to Nikhil Kurgod, the advocate for Nishanth, the High Court also observed that SBWL had not held its meeting on January 19th, 2021 in an appropriate manner as per existing norms. “The High Court asked the state govt to reconvene the meeting to reconsider the preservation of Hesarghatta grasslands.”
It may be recollected, in 2013, when few locals and environmentalists including Mahesh Bhat, M R Seetaram, K S Seshadri and Ramki Sreenivasan had submitted a proposal for preserving this unique grassland and wetland housing many native and rare flora and fauna. However, political interference and opposition by local leaders led to deference of the formation of the conservation reserve by the Karnataka Forest Department.

HESARGHATTA GRASSLANDS CR TOTAL AREA = 5010 ACRES
This includes:
- 356 acres of Hesaraghatta Grassland
- 383 acres of Byrappura Lake
- 165 acres of Byatha Lake,
- 1,356 acres of Hesarghatta Lake
- 2,750 acres under Animal Husbandry Deptt

LONG TIME WAIT FOR PROTECTION
According to state forest & Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre, the proposal was accepted by the SBWL under the chairmanship of chief minister Sidddaramaiah. The pro-active forest minister said, “The demand to declare Hesarghatta as a protected grassland had been going on for a long time, and there had even been protests and submission of memorandums regarding this. The government is committed to the conservation of nature and the environment and therefore, taken this important decision for protection of the IT city.”
Eshwar Khandre added, “In the 15th meeting of the SBWL held on January 19, 2021, this proposal was rejected. The Karnataka High Court had then directed the board to reconsider. So, a total area of 5,010 acres has been approved for declaration under Section 36A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as the “Greater Hesarghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve.”

PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN
Welcoming the decision of the government, Vijay Nishanth said, “”We are very happy with the decision as a total area of 5010 acres have been declared as a Conservation Reserve. We would like to thank the High Court, our advocate Nikhil Kurgod and the people of Bengaluru for standing their ground and helping keep this biodiversity in its pristine state.”
It took three years for approval of the Conservation Reserve and the active participation of people of Bengaluru and a signature campaign that garnered support from 75,000 people. In fact, a memorandum had been submitted recently to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre who had assured the formation of this CR, added Nishanth.

RICH REPOSITORY OF BIODIVERSITY
Located in north west Bengaluru, Hesarghatta Lakebed area and Grasslands is a rich repository of biodiversity that includes the Lesser Florican and the Indian Leopard.
Stretching about 5010 acres, they form the most significant grassland ecosystem in this part of Karnataka and many research studies has established the need for its preservation.

The then Chief Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru has clearly enunciated in his proposal for the formation of a Conservation Reserve how significant and important is this unique Grassland Ecosystem.
Hesarghatta is the last remaining grasslands in Bengaluru region and is home 235 bird species, 400 insects, 100 species of butterflies while some new, rare and endangered species thrive in this ecosystem.