BENGALURU: The state govt’s hasty move to survey and allocate ‘Hadlu‘ land (swampy grasslands) to the ‘claimants’ inside the premises of the Nagarahole National Park in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district has snowballed into a major ecological controversy.
Demanding to stop the action immediately, conservationists and former PCCFs have appealed to CM Siddaramaiah, stating that the move will further add to the rising incidents of human-animal conflict in the region, besides violating the orders of the Supreme Court.
Referring to an ongoing survey on the ground, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Karnataka, Braj Kishore Singh, in his letter to CM Siddaramaiah, who heads the State Board for Wildlife, said, “I have credible information that a survey is being conducted hastily to grant a minimum of three acres of land within the swampy grasslands (Hadlus) to all claimants, right in the core area of the Nagarahole National Park.”
Singh further alleged in his letter that officers from the Revenue and Social Welfare Departments are working under pressure and ‘acting against the orders of the Supreme Court’.
Recalling the provisions under the Forest Rights Act 2006, Singh explained in his letter, “The move to allocate lands is a complete violation of provisions under the Forest Rights Act and it must be stopped with immediate intervention. The 2006 act is to recognise the rights of those who were in occupation as on December 13, 2005, and the Act is not to be confused with a Land Grant act.”
Reminding the CM about the loss of biodiversity in the region, which is a part of the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats area, Singh said, “Any loss of biodiversity in the region will have a severe impact on human life. Forests ensure inflow into rivers, and the destruction of forests will reduce the water flow levels in rivers and streams, thereby resulting in agrarian distress.”
Pointing to a field inspection done by himself during his tenure way back in 2011, Singh clarified, “I personally carried out inspections of several hadlus in Nagarahole on January 28, 2011, and found that no part of the currently surveyed land was under occupation by anybody. Evidently, even the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Nagarahole, also wrote to the Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu that during the joint inspection of the three departments (forest, revenue, and social welfare depts), no occupants were seen in the region.”
Speaking to TOI, Singh further clarified that during the same survey, it was also noted that there was neither any proof of cultivation nor any evidence to support the practice of agriculture at these Hadlus.
“The govt has not followed sections 4(3) and 4(6) of chapter 3 of the Act in its attempt to recognise the forest rights,” Singh explained.
Contrary to the claims of elected representatives that the allocation of Hadlu land would reduce human-animal conflict, Singh categorically denied any such claims.
“Going by my field experience spanning more than 35 years in Karnataka, these swampy grasslands are prime habitats of herbivores, including elephants and gaur. If this drastic action of disturbing the Hadlus, which are not in occupation even now, and allocating 3 acres to all claimants, is allowed, I wish to state that it will lead to a chaotic situation with a further increase in human-wildlife conflict. With their prime habitat gone, more elephants and gaurs will be forced out of their natural habitat and move into plantations and paddy fields around Nagarahole in Virajpet taluk,” Singh appealed to the CM.