The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) constituted by the Supreme Court has asked the State Forest Department to provide details of illegal resorts in forest areas of the Cauvery Wildlife Division.
The Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary falls in the division is one of the eco-sensitive zones in the country and spreads in Chamarajanagar, Ramanagaram and Mandya districts. Operating resorts or running any other entertainment or commercial activities are banned in forest areas which are categorised as wildlife zones.
Illegal resort
Alleging that some people have been running resorts illegally in the division, social activist Dinesh Kallahalli had recently filed a complaint with the CEC. He had alleged that ‘Shanthi Dham’ (Anand Dham) near Bammasandra in Kanakapura of Ramanagaram was being run illegally. Acting on the complaint, M.K. Jiwrajka, member secretary of the CEC, directed the Forest Department to furnish details on the issue, a senior forest officer said.
Subsequently, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) instructed the Deputy Conservator of Forests (Cauvery Wildlife Division) on January 15 to submit a report through the Chief Conservator of Forests (Chamarajanagar Circle).
Wild animals sighted
Sightings of fox, elephant, tiger, leopard, deer and other wild animals were reported near Bammasandra. Wild animals frequently come from Muthathi, Chilandavadi, Dhanagur and other nearby forest areas. Movements of vehicles and activities at the resort have been disturbing the wild animals. Sometimes, visitors from resorts enter the wildlife forest for hunting, Mr. Dinesh told The Hindu .
According to him, the authorities have violated certain provisions/restrictions of the Forest Land Conversion Act 1980, the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the Environment Protection Act 1986, etc., while establishing ‘Shanthi Dham’.
Mr. Dinesh said: “I have requested the CEC to pass suitable orders to close ‘Shanthi Dham’ and other resorts in the Cauvery Wildlife Division to prevent man-animal conflicts and initiate action against those running resorts in forest areas.”
When contacted DCF Vasanth Reddy, Cauvery Wildlife Division (Kollegal), told The Hindu that the department would look into the matter.
