Green Minute News:
Karnataka High Court has sent notices to both the State government and the Centre and others on the issue of shifting of Bengaluru Turf Club (BTC) to the biodiversity rich Kunigal Stud Farm located in Kunigal taluk, Tumakuru district of Karnataka.
The High Court has granted two weeks’ time to the respondents for seeking instructions from the concerned governments and filing their objections. It may be recollected that an order dated March 6, 2026, the state government had proposed shifting of the BTC and other racing related activities to the historic Kunigal Stud Farm.
The petitioner was represented by Sriram Panchu, Senior Advocate and renowned Expert Mediator who has been in the forefront of mediation movement in India. A pro bono case, Sriram Panchu will be representing this issue which will impact the biodiversity and heritage of a verdant ancient, stud farm located in a dryland region. The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the High Court on June 25, 2026 by advocate Nikhil Kurgod on behalf of the petitioner Vijay Nishanth, urban conservationist and tree doctor.
The historic 200-year-old Kunigal Stud Farm is currently at the centre of a major environmental and heritage battle. The Karnataka government is in the process of handing over 100 acres of the 400-acre heritage site to the Bengaluru Turf Club (BTC) to relocate horse racing activities from Bengaluru.
On June 29, 2026, the Karnataka High Court under the aegis of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K S Hemalekha directed notices to be sent to the state and central government, National Biodiversity Board, Karnataka Biodiversity Board and the Bengaluru Turf Club.
Further, the counsel for the state government sought two weeks time from the High Court to file their reply and objections in the case.
The Public Interest Litigation filed by Vijay Nishanth challenges the GO dated 6.03.2026 issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Fisheries, GOK, whereby an extent of 110.20 acres of land forming part of the Kunigal Stud Farm has been proposed to be allotted and leased in favour of Bengaluru Turf Club Ltd for shifting/establishing a racecourse and allied activities.
This impugned GO has been submitted without any ecological or environmental assessment and without considering the irreversible harm that such a diversion would cause to the ecosystem including grazing lands, flora, fauna, and equine habitat, the PIL says.
The PIL further says, “In view of the above, it is submitted that the Kunigal Stud Farm is a biodiversity-rich ecological landscape anchored by massive tree cover and associated vegetation and any alteration or conversion of the said land for non-compatible purposes would result in irreversible ecological damage and loss of critical environmental functions.”
The petitioner states that the Kunigal farm ecosystem supports a diverse faunal group including mammals, reptiles, amphibians and varied bird species as evidenced by camera trapping exercises and field observations. Further, small mammals utilize tree hollows and root systems for shelter while reptiles and amphibians are sustained by the vegetation cover and associated moist habitats, particularly in proximity to the Kunigal Lake.
The case has been posted for hearing on July 15, 2026.