GREEN MINUTE NEWS:
There are only 1.5 months left for filing of objections to the 2nd draft ESZ notification of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve which was reissued on Sept 2, 2026. The Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has reissued the draft ESZ notification for Nagarhole Tiger Reserve after a gap of nine years. Construction of hotels, resorts, etc has become a regulated activity benefitting many influential people.
As per the 2nd draft ESZ notification for Nagarhole which was first issued on 27 July 2017, the proposed Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) is about 574 square kms. The ESZ covers the entire/partial area of more than 100 villages with a geographical area of 304.09 sq kms while the notified Reserve Forest Areas brought under the Nagarhole Eco-Sensitive Zone has a geographical area of 269.86 square kilo meters. So, the total geographical area of the Eco-sensitive Zone comes to about 573.95 sq kms.
The range of extent of the Nagarhole ESZ varies from 1.0 – 7.44 kilometres.
However, the extent is 24.08 kilometres in the case of adjoining notified Reserve Forest areas that is situated on the North-west boundary of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. The Eco-sensitive Zone mainly consists of Revenue lands, Patta lands, Reserve Forest areas, roads etc. But, wherever it is contiguous with BandipurTR and Wayanad Sanctuary, the ESZ extent is 0 km.
No new construction of hotels and resorts shall be allowed within 1 km from the boundary of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve or up to the extent of the ESZ whichever is nearer and, beyond the distance of 1 km from the boundary of the PA till the extent of the ESZ, the establishment of new hotels and resorts shall be allowed only in pre-defined and designated areas for Eco-tourism facilities as per Tourism Master Plan of the protected area, the notification says.
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
Commercial mining, setting up of new industrial activities, hydroelectric projects, establishment of large- scale livestock and poultry farms, discharge of untreated sewage water and establishment of saw mills will be completely prohibited in the ESZ of Nagarhole.
The shocking aspect of the draft notification is – establishment of hotels and resorts is a regulated activity. Other regulated activities include construction activities, small scale industry not causing pollution, brick kilns, etc. However, no new commercial activity will be permitted within one km of the tiger reserve boundary once the final notification of ESZ for Nagarhole is through.
The Nagarhole Tiger Reserve has a total area of 847.41 sq. kms and is situated in Mysuru (Hunsur, Periyapatna and HD Kote taluks) and Kodagu (Virajpet taluk) districts of Karnataka. This was notified as Core/Critical Tiger habitat on 20th December, 2007 as per section 38 V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and further, an area of 562.41 square kilo meters was notified as Buffer Zone of the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve on 14th August, 2012.
ACTIVISTS RAISE CONCERN
Activists and environmentalists expressed their serious concerns about the ongoing construction activities in and around Nagarhole TR despite the draft ESZ being notified as early as 9 years back. They add, “Now with construction of hotels, resorts, etc being a regulated activity, it is a field day for real estate people. Illegal construction activity has been going on merrily near the boundary of the protected area where some people have built resorts, wellness centres and other such activities as they are influential people. With the continuing delay in final notification of ESZ for Nagarhole, undue advantage is being taken by such people resulting in unbridled and rampant construction.”
Since Nagarhole has been recognized as one of the high-density tiger landscapes in the country, it is acknowledged by the Global Tiger Initiative for conservation of tigers and also as one of the richest wildlife areas noted for the intact assemblage of seven large Ungulate species such as Chital, Sambar, Chowsingha, Gaur, Muntjac, Wild Pig and Elephant.