Citizens to rally for protection of wildlife in Bandipur

Walk for Bandipur rally will be held on April 6 to oppose easing the night traffic ban through the reserve

Amidst growing speculations that the Karnataka government may lift the night traffic ban through Bandipur under pressure from Kerala, citizens have decided to take out a ‘Walk for Bandipur’ rally.

The rally will be held on April 6 and the assembly point is Primary Health Centre at Kaggalada Hundi on NH 766, about 2.5 km before the Maddur checkpost on the road to Sultan Bathery. The rally will commence from 10.30 a.m. Those interested can call 9482342796 or 9900105195 for details.

Citizens under the banner of ‘United Conservation Movement’ (UCM) have taken the initiative to express their opposition to any move to change the current status quo wherein vehicle movement through Bandipur is banned from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Two highways bisect Bandipur one of which connects Gundlupet with Wayanad in Kerala and the other road goes to Ooty in Tamil Nadu.

Since 2010

The ban has been in force since 2010 but for a specific number of public transport vehicles and ambulances. However, there is persistent pressure from Kerala to lift the ban and pave the way for vehicle movement on a 24x7 basis.

The night traffic ban was introduced to reduce habitat disturbance and wildlife deaths due to accidents. It has been upheld by the courts. The Supreme Court is also hearing a petition seeking lifting the ban on the vehicle movement.

Congress’ u-turn

But what has incensed activists is that though the Karnataka government had vociferously supported the ban all these years in the interest of wildlife conservation, the Congress is now perceived to be doing a U-turn as Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, want the ban to be lifted.

The UCM said the night traffic ban was important to protect the Nilgiri Biosphere which is the largest contiguous biosphere; and to stop further linear intrusions and bumper-to-bumper traffic movement in the pristine forests.

Preventing accidents

The imperatives of the night traffic ban also stem from the need to prevent fatal road accidents involving animals such as tigers, elephants, civets and jungle cats, according to UCM activists. This apart, it will reduce stress and disturbance to nocturnal wildlife, besides helping in maintaining ecological balance by minimising human interference, according to activists.

Growing support

There is growing grassroots support for continuing the ban on night traffic through Bandipur. Recently, farmers and youth from villages surrounding the national park, had opposed any move to lift the ban. They had argued that as stakeholders, they are directly affected by increase in conflict and any policy decision, which will impact them directly, should not be taken without local consent. The crux of their argument was that the movement of vehicles all through the day and night, would add to the stress of wildlife and escalate human-animal conflict in the surrounding villages.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve is one of India’s most critical wildlife habitats and a treasure trove of biodiversity supporting over 150 tigers, and many elephants, leopards, dholes and prey species.

Published - April 02, 2025 08:19 pm IST