Dirt bike races near BNP pose threat to wildlife

Bengaluru: A dirt bike park near Urganadoddi in the vicinity of Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) near the Anekal range is creating a lot of noise disturbing the wildlife in the area. Sources say that the land where the bike park is constructed belongs to a senior Brihan Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) official and it falls under the Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ).

Range Forest Officer Gururaj Sankeshwar told The Hans India that he has received a complaint and asked his team to look into the matter. "I have received the complaint this morning. As per my information the dirt bike park started last Sunday. I have sent my team to look into the issue and action will be taken accordingly," he said. Commenting on the issue, former PCCF (HoFF), Karnataka, B.K Singh said, "Bannerghatta National Park is a habitat of elephants that often stray out of the park due to disturbances caused by humans within as well as in (ESZ) surrounding it. This leads to conflict with humans. Already there are many disturbances due to quarrying and industries resulting in very high levels of conflict with humans. Sound and dust produced by bike races will make matters worse. These are generally prohibited activities in ESZ and should not be allowed."

Recently, some encroachers have erected stone columns in survey number 69 in Shivanahalli as a mark of demarcation of the land they claim to own. A joint inspection by revenue and forest departments is yet to be conducted to ascertain the ownership claim. Sources in the forest department said that a senior forest official stopped them from taking action against the encroachers.