Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi’s support to lift Bandipur night traffic ban criticised

Mysuru:  Former Congress President and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi’s move to support the lifting of the 9 pm to 6 am night traffic ban in Bandipur Tiger Reserve imposed by Karnataka Government to protect wildlife came in for bitter criticism yesterday.

Taking on Rahul Gandhi, A.C. Lakshmana, retired IFS officer and former Secretary of State Forest Department, said that Rahul Gandhi was contradicting the actions of his own grandmother by supporting the people of Kerala who are demanding to lift the ban on night traffic in Bandipur.

While the Kerala Government is demanding that the ban can be bypassed on a 25-km stretch of National Highway 766 with an elevated corridor, Karnataka Government has been consistently following the Supreme Court orders that have upheld the night traffic ban.

Rahul Gandhi had made Bandipur traffic ban an election issue and has been in support of lifting the ban at the cost of wildlife.

At the 22nd Conservation Speak on ‘Conservation of birds and forest fires: Past and present,’ organised by Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysuru Zoo) at its premises in city yesterday, Lakshmana said, “While the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi legislated the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 in order to protest the flora and fauna, her grandson Rahul Gandhi is fighting for lifting the ban on night traffic in Bandipur forests.” 

“There is continuous pressure from Kerala to lift the night traffic ban in Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Nagarahole National Park. If at all the ban is lifted, it will ultimately lead to wiping out of wildlife and at the same time encourage timber and forest produce smuggling rackets. It is unfortunate that Rahul Gandhi is favouring the lifting of night ban,” he regretted.

Replying to a question, Lakshmana called for reduction or to stop the use of agarbathis as a step towards conserving forests and wildlife. “Agarbathi industry uses derivatives from 47 species in forests and only bamboo is accounted for. A section of the tribals act as agents for agarbathi industry and supply these precious forest produce from back-doors. Even the Governments are greedy for foreign exchange and permit exports of the precious forest resources,” he said. 

“This why a lobby is always active to keep the tribals inside the forests so that the industry continuously gets the supply of forest produce,” he alleged, appealing to the Government to provide alternatives to tribals outside the forests. 

Earlier, the programme was inaugurated by S. Varshini of J.P. Nagar, who has made a mark in many conservation activities like feeding birds after preparing thousands of food and water bowls. Varshini has formed her own group of over 30 friends and named as ‘Green Warriors of Mysore’ and has given lectures on conservation.

As part of the Conservation Speak, Varshini gave a talk on ‘Conservation of Birds’ and Ameya Gode shared his experiences on ‘Forest fires: Past and Present.’ 

Wildlife photographers Krupakar and Senani spoke on Lakshmana’s book ‘Challenges of a Tropical Forester for Sustainable Development’ that was released on the occasion.