Bengaluru: Forest officials and conservationists in the state feel the sand mafia in Kerala is forcing the Oommen Chandy Government there to persist with its demand to allow night traffic inside Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
Despite Karnataka Government’s repeated refusal to entertain such requests, the Kerala Government has not given up on its efforts to reopen night traffic. “There is heavy pressure from sand mafia in Kerala to reopen the traffic to Karnataka during night hours.
One truck load of sand fetches close to Rs 50,000 and this is the main reason behind repeated requests from the Kerala Government. Sand mining in Kerala has been banned for many years, and the mafia now targets sand deposits in the Kabini backwaters and they feel that transporting it during night is an easier option,” said a forest official from Mysore.
Interestingly, one of petitioners in the court seeking reopening of night traffic, has cases of elephant poaching, forest land encroachment and tampering with forest boundary against him.
The closure of vehicle traffic through the two highways passing through Bandipur is based on a High Court order (dated March 9, 2010). The matter is currently pending before the Supreme Court, but this has not stopped the Kerala Government from pressing for its demands.
After the Congress government came into power in the state, there was speculation among conservationists that it may succumb to request from fellow Congress government in Kerala. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too has turned down Kerala Government request.
Though the night traffic on the Bandipur Tiger Reserve is banned, eight buses from each state are allowed pass through, besides ambulances and fire fighting vehicles.
“Some from Kerala see the night closure of highways as a monstrous move. Initially the argument in the court was that the alternate road was not in good condition. Based on the court order the Karnataka government has improved the alternate road by spending Rs 48 crore. The distance during night detour is only 30 km longer,” pointed out Sanjay Gubbi, Tiger Programme Coord-inator of Panthera organisation.
Despite this move, Kerala government is persisting with its demand. The economic stakes must be huge if the chief minister of that state is visiting multiple times to lobby that Karnataka should change its stand in the court, Gubbi added.
