Project Tiger: Bhadra, Kudremukh dropped

Bangalore, Feb 2, 2012, DHNS: The State government has dropped a proposal to expand the Bhadra Tiger Reserve as well as include Kudremukh National Park under Project Tiger after local people opposed it, Law Minister Suresh Kumar told the Assembly on Thursday. Replying to the issue raised by Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, the minister said the government shelved the plan in the interest of tribals and other forest dwellers. The State government had proposed to expand the area of Bhadra tiger reserve from the existing 500.16 sq km to 848.62 sq km. Besides, 600 sq km of Kudremukh Park was proposed to be brought under Project Tiger. In the wake of strong protests from people in Chikmagalur district, the decision to drop the proposal has been notified, the minister said. Suresh Kumar said the re-classification of protected areas under Bannerghatta National Park, Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary will continue as planned. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda had recently announced that he had written to the Centre to drop expansion plan of Project Tiger in the contiguous Bhadra reserve. The move comes ahead of the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha by-poll as the Bhadra reserve is in the constituency. Earlier, legislators, especially from the Malnad region, cutting across party lines, said there was stiff opposition to the proposal. “There is no public consultation. People are worried about their livelihood”, Sringeri MLA D N Jeevaraj said. Siddaramaiah said people displaced by the Bhadra reservoir had been rehabilitated. “They will be displaced again if Project Tiger is expanded across the region,” he said. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/224187/project-tiger-bhadra-kudremukh-dropped.html