Bengalureans head to Bandipur to save tigers

BENGALURU: More than 100 wildlife enthusiasts, activists and aspiring conservationists from the city have come together to raise their voice against the government’s proposed elevated corridor that cuts through Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
They will hold a silent protest at the entrance of the reserve in Chamarajanagar between 10am and 4pm on Saturday. The Bengaluru contingent consists of mostly techies, businessmen and other professionals.
Taranath S, a data scientist with an MNC, went to Bandipur with a team of 40 people.“I have been visiting the reserve for over eight years. Any move to lift the existing night-traffic ban or build an elevated road through the forest could result in irreparable damage,” he said. Taranath and his team pooled in money for transport and other expenses to participate in the protest.
Businessman and conservationist Daniel Sukumar Das said if the Karnataka and Kerala governments don’t relent, they are going to escalate the protest at the national level. “We are here to save Bandipur. We are for the night-traffic ban and against the elevated roads inside the tiger reserve,” he added.
“Apart from Bengaluru, wildlife lovers, activists and farmer groups from Mysuru and parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu will be part of the protest. In fact, this is the first time that so many people from diverse backgrounds are coming together to participate for a wildlife cause,” said one of the coordinators for the protest.
D Rajkumar of the Wildlife Conservation Foundation, Mysuru, said they will get the exact headcount of the protesters on Saturday.
“We won’t stage any agitation or block roads. We only want to tell the state governments that people are worried about increasing threats to the reserve, which is home to diverse wildlife,” he pointed out.