Last-standing ecosystem: Karnataka govt no to Hesaraghatta conservation reserve shocks activists, villagers

People's fight to protect the environs of Hesaraghatta, a crucial catchment area of Arkavathi and Kumudvathi rivers in North Bengaluru, was cold-shouldered by the Karnataka State Wildlife Board recently.

At its 15th meeting last week, the board headed by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa shot down the proposal to declare the surroundings of Hesaraghatta a conservation reserve. Activists fear commercial activities would deeply hurt the ecosystem.

The move also triggered discussions about rejuvenating the two rivers, something that the previous BJP government had strongly pursued. In 2009, the then BJP government had released several crores for the rejuvenation efforts.

Recording his strong objections, noted ecologist and Bangalore Environment Trust (BET) chairperson A N Yallappa Reddy dubbed the government’s action a "criminal act of sabotaging the catchment area of two major rivers that once sustained Bengaluru".

"If you look at geographically, the Hesaraghatta region is a critical water supply catchment area to both Arkavathi and Kumudvathi rivers. Several streams that originate from the Nandi Hills region drain into the Hesaraghatta area and flow further," Reddy said about the Hesaraghatta area and the surrounding ecosystem comprising grassland and reserve forest patches.

The environmentalist recalled the 2009 padayatra (foot march) from Nandi Hills to the Thippagondanahalli reservoir via Hesaraghatta to preserve the ecosystem.

"The state government pumps in crores of rupees to fetch water from Yettinahole, which is hundreds of kilometres away. Ironically, the same government is planning to silently damage waterbodies and their pristine ecosystem that once supported life in Bengaluru," Reddy said.

What villagers say

People living in villages around Hesaraghatta have been equally shocked by the government’s decision.

"We had joined the struggle (in the past) to save the river. If we managed to have some parts of the catchment now, it’s due to the struggle in the last decade. The government should plan to safeguard such places rather than opening it for commercial activities," lamented a villager.

Another villager recalled contributions by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) that rejuvenated the waterbodies and catchment areas in the region through its CSR initiative and in association with the Art of Living (AoL).

The proposed 'Greater Hesaraghatta Conservation Reserve' put before the wildlife board last week included declaring 5,010 acres of grassland and waterbodies a conservation reserve.

Proposed reserve area

"The proposed reserve covers 356 acres of grassland, 383 acres of Byrapura Lake, 165 acres of Byatha lake, 1,356 acres of Hesaraghatta Lake and another 2,750 acres of land belonging to the Animal Husbandry Department,” said a senior forest official.

Interestingly, the proposal only envisaged protecting the waterbodies in three villages and a known patch of grassland to ensure drainage of water to the lakes.

Besides being home to 40 species of plants and 138 species of birds, mammals and reptiles, the ecosystem also supports thousands of farmers in Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara districts.

"If the government doesn’t stand up to safeguard Hesaraghatta now, all its previous efforts to safeguard Arkavathi and Kumudvathi rivers will go waste,” Reddy said, expressing fears that real estate sharks will eat up one of the Bengaluru region’s last-standing natural ecosystems that would eventually disrupt the city’s water stability.