With an otter being sighted for perhaps the first time near the city, could this be the right time to up the conservation status of the vast Tataguni Estate (The Roerich & Devika Rani Roerich Estate) that harbours a thriving biodiversity?
The 468-acre expanse remains a key link between Turahalli and Bannerghatta forests, and is believed to be home to numerous leopards, peacocks, barking deer, apart from being a key part of the elephant corridor. The biodiversity-rich area, however, already sees urban pressure, with the NICE Road flanking one end, and proximity to the upcoming metro line.
While the Supreme Court has laid out strict instructions on the usage of land, conservationists and forest officials fear that urban forest will end up becoming another park. These fears could be seen in the meeting held recently on the “development” of the estate. A ₹25-crore art gallery, tourism amenities, and walking or cycling tracks have been proposed.
“The cultural complex will come up within 25 acres, and a further 25 acres into a park. The rest of the area is to be developed as a forest, but we want to set in plans to ensure that it is accessible to visitors,” said Puttahalagaya, Chief Executive of the Roerich and Devika Rani Roerich Estate Board.
Increasing protection
It is perhaps to protect the biodiversity of the park against “rampant tourism” that the Forest Department is mooting the declaration of the area as a conservation reserve. “A conservation reserve will ensure wildlife there is protected, rather than it becoming just a green space. Walking tracks and lighting will have an impact on nocturnal species and even movement of elephants,” an official said.
The estate had previously come under the lens of the department with the site scheduled to be a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) and even a Section 4 protected forest ( precursor to a reserve forest). Both proposals had been shot down. Officials of the Board told The Hindu that the Supreme Court order on the land was “protective” enough.
Conservationist Sanjay Gubbi — who is studying the mammal diversity around the estate — shudders to think what “development” of three lakes within the reserve will end up doing to the thriving ecosystem. “Stone pitching the lake or blocking of channels for paths or piling of garbage will affect raiding birds that thrive beside the lake ... the estate cannot be for entertainment or recreation. It needs to be conserved as an urban forest to observe nature,” he said.
Moreover, there is fear that this estate — which is part of a contiguous forest patch with UM Kaval and BM Kaval on its northern end — will end up being isolated like how Turahalli is now. “There are about 2,000 acres of private or revenue land between Roerich Estate and Bannerghatta. We need to conserve it to ensure these do not become concrete layouts and isolate Tataguni,” Mr. Gubbi said.
Protection status still eludes Hessarghatta grasslands
Its been more than four years since a proposal to declare nearly 5,000 acres of grasslands at Hessarghatta as a conservation reserve — which, if it comes, will make it the largest such protected site— in the city. After years of meetings, the status of protection still eludes the site. At the time that two environment activists, Mahesh Bhat and Ramki Sreenivasan, submitted the proposal to the Forest Department, the State government was making plans for the allocation of Hessarghatta grasslands to numerous agencies, including a film city. “The conservation reserve status was to be taken up during a Wildlife Board meeting last year. But, this did not happen. We plan to aggressively take up the issue in the coming months,” Mr. Bhat said. The issue remains that the grassland is home to numerous Central government agricultural and animal husbandry agencies. “There needs to be a consensus over the status. Meetings will be held with all these Central government agencies soon. We are still pursuing this proposal,” S.R Natesh, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Rural), said.
Doraisanipalya— a butterfly reserve?
Spread over 91-acres, Doraisanipalya lies amidst concrete towers that form IT offices and apartments. With over 124 butterfly species in the reserve now, Sanjay Mohan, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Research and Utilisation), had forwarded a proposal to declare that as a conservation reserve. The proposal, however, has seen little movement. “Declaration of a butterfly reserve will give emphasis to the preservation of the creatures. But, since this is already declared as a reserve forest, there is already protection of the land,” said Mr. Mohan.
However, the proposal stalled after hitting roadblocks. “The proposal was there around 1.5 years ago. We were even supposed to inspect the area. But, this never happened,” said M. Sanjappa, former Director of Botanical Survey of India and former member of KBB.
A similar proposal to declare it as Section 4 protected forest had been shot down.
