End mining, quarrying near Bannerghatta park, govt told

The state government and the Forest Department must stop mining and quarrying activities around the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), veteran freedom fighter HS Doreswamy has said.

Speaking to reporters at a conference organised by United Bengaluru, a non-governmental organisation, he said the authorities must safeguard the eco-sensitivity of the wooded area as notified by the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The apex court has ordered maintaining a 10-kilometre default buffer zone around the national park until the ES is defined.

Doreswamy accused the state government and its agencies like the Forest Department, the Department of Mines and Geology and the Bengaluru Urban district administration of doing nothing to protect the wooded area and its surroundings. Mining activities around the forest affected the nearby villages and the agrarian communities, he said. He invited Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Bengaluru Development Minister G Parameshwara to visit the forest area. Suresh N R from United Bengaluru and tree activist Vijay Nishanth were also present on the occasion.

Volunteers of United Bengaluru said they would hold an interactive meeting on September 29 at Indiranagar Club on the proposed revamping of the BDA complex.