Officials wink at resort construction in eco sensitive zone of tiger reserve

Bengaluru: In another jolt to the environment, a resort is being constructed within the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Nagarhole-Bandipur landscape, close to Kabini backwaters.

In July the Range Forest Officer (RFO) issued a notice to the landowner, K.N. Narsimhamurthy seeking explanation for the construction on survey number 142 and 144 at N Belthur village, which falls within the buffer zone and ESZ of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.

In August 2019, the permission to construct a residential house in two guntas was given by the panchayat development officer (PDO).

On July 17, the chief conservator of forest, Kodagu circle visited the spot and directed the officials to prepare a mahazar indicating the total number of buildings.

"As per the above directions, the undersigned with jurisdictional staff has noted that there are totally six under construction buildings measuring around 997.29 square metres equivalent to 11 guntas. You are permitted to take up residential house construction only in two guntas. It is clearly evident that there is a deviation with respect to land use," the RFO stated in the notice.

After going through the facts the PDO withdrew the permission and asked the landowner to submit three documents - land conversion, building permission and NOC and it was directed that the construction work should be terminated.

Earlier this year, the construction was stopped but the whistleblowers have now found that it was resumed surreptitiously.

"It is to be noted that the said land parcel is in the vicinity of the Bandipur Nagarhole Tiger Landscape. This entire tiger landscape was part of the Karnataka Reserve Forest before 1974. After the construction of Kabini dam and due to the submergence of agricultural lands, the farmers in the submerged area were rehabilitated in Kakanakote Reserve Forest which is de-reserved. Thus N Belthur survey number 142 and 144 including the other survey numbers part of such lands in which farmers have been rehabilitated," the notice read.

A former senior forest officer lamented that the construction is being funded by a mine owner and the landownership is benami. The Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) is also being accused of turning a blind eye to the construction.

The retired forest officer stated that the construction required land conversion from the Deputy Commissioner, Mysuru and no such permission was given.

"Though Nagerhole ESZ is in Draft Stage it is a fact that till the final ESZ Notification is done the draft is legally a valid document. The DCF has to implement the ESZ and buffer zone of the tiger reserve both in letter and spirit, and cannot go on for verifying the records for months," the former forest officer said.

Recently, the RFO sent the staff to the site and stopped the construction work.

Member, State Board for Wildlife, Joseph Hoover said that though the construction was stopped, 80% of the construction was completed.

"First of all when it is draft ESZ nobody can build anything. It is a buffer zone. The permission, if given, could be for only two guntas. The violator in this case has no land conversion. The government machinery needs to demolish the building or else many will be encouraged to construct, if a bad precedent is set. The government should come hard on it, there are no two ways about that," Hoover said.