Karnataka dropping Bhimgad from ESZ upsets Goa

KERI: Karnataka

forest department

has dropped Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary from the list prepared for redefining the boundaries of eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) prepared for forest patches. Out of 39 protected areas in Karnataka, only Bandipur tiger reserve had a defined ESZ. The process for including nine more protected areas is under way.

On March 11, Karnataka forest department sent a proposal to the state and central government with a detailed map of ESZ areas around forest patches of the protected areas. However, the Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary, that was notified on December 1, 2011, with 190.4258 sq km area, was dropped from the list as Karnataka wants to complete the work of Kalasa-Bhandura project to augment 7.56 tmc of water of River Mhadei’s tributaries.

Dandeli

’s areas too were dropped as the state government wants to reduce the ESZ from the prescribed 1km distance.

According to the Wildlife Proctection Act 1972, unless ESZ and buffer zones are defined, the default zones remain at 10km, as per the notification issued by the ministry of environment and forests in 2002.

The Bhimgad sanctuary is contiguous to the east of Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, north-west of the Mahavir wildlife sanctuary and Mollem national park, and the north of the Netravali wildlife sanctuary and the Dandeli wildlife sanctuary. The western border of Bhimgad encompasses geo-morphological lime stone formation caves. Barapeda cave inTalewadi, Gavali, of the Bhimgad sanctuary is the only known breeding ground for Wroughton free-tailed bats andTaphozous theobald bats. There have also been reported sightings of tiger, leopard, sloth bear and other wildlife at Bhimgad sanctuary.

Speaking to

TOI

, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said, “Goa government has taken a decision of identifying a 1km ESZ around the Mhadei Sanctuary. But, Karnataka has dropped the Bhimgad sanctuary from defining ESZ boundary because of Kalasa-Bhandura project. I will bring these discrepancies of Karnataka to the notice of the central government”.