Trees marked to be cut, concrete pillars laid; activists threaten to move Courts

Madikeri: The Forest Department and the Public Works Department’s move to erect concrete pillars and marking of trees to construct a proposed road from Patti to Todikana within the Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary near Talacauvery in Kodagu District has drawn the ire of environmentalists who have called for immediate stopping of road works in a protected area.

In a letter to T. Heeralal, Conservator of Forests, Mysuru Circle and S. Prabhakaran, Deputy Coservator of Forests (territorial and in-charge wildlife), the Trustees of Wildlife First K.M. Chinnappa and A.A. Poovaiah have termed the road works illegal and violates Supreme Court order on National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

The letter’s copy has also been sent to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), and Kodagu Deputy Commissioner urging them to halt the progress of the road works. “Patti and Todikana are at the core of the Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and such unilateral activities without complete approval on completion of the statutorily mandated procedure (both under Forest Conservation Act and Wild Life Protection Act),” the letter stated.

The letter added that they would be forced to move the Courts and the officers who have given approval to the project would face legal consequences.

Kadamakallu-Subramanya Road

A similar attempt was made in 2008 to bulldoze and form a new road. The PWD had submitted a proposal for the diversion of 32-acre forest land to develop Madikeri-Kadamakallu-Subramanya Road at a cost of Rs.10 crore. A total of 11 km stretch (Vanachalu to Kadamakallu) would pass through Kadamakallu Reserve Forest, a part of Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.

This particular road works was rejected by the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC). The CEC, which looked into a complaint filed by Air Marshal K.C. Cariappa (retd.), found that the works was in violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the orders of the Court and had directed the then Chief Secretary (CS), who had accepted that the violations had taken place, to take action against officials responsible, and even suggested that action should be taken against three elected representatives who had instigated the illegal road works.

Proceedings against DC, Conservator

“Proceedings were also initiated against the then Deputy Commissioner, the then Conservator of Forests and three elected representatives of Kodagu District and the matter is sub-judice. Also, it has been reiterated by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) that new roads shall not be proposed inside National Parks and Sanctuaries,” the letter stated.

The Trustees of Wildlife First have pointed out that there is evidence that work of embedding concrete pillars after survey, marking of trees for felling have been carried out on Patti-Todikana road in violation of law and orders of the Supreme Court.

Irreparable damage to pristine forests

Speaking to ‘Star of Mysore,’ Praveen Bhargav, who is involved in wildlife conservation activities since 1982 and Founder of Conservation India, a conservation group focused on conservation education activities, said that the Patti-Todikana road is not needed and is a wasteful expenditure besides majorly it would cause irreparable damage to pristine forests.

“There is already a road between Sullia, Panathur, Karike and Bhagamandala. This road is being planned as an alternative road, destroying the forests. The Supreme Court and MoEF&CC guidelines are clear and the PWD has claimed that the Patti-Todikana road exists and there is a Right of Way for 12 metres that they are going to improve the same by cutting trees. Actually, there is no road and there is no Right of Way here. The reality is that it is a totally new road that is proposed to be built destroying the Western Ghats in that belt,” he said.