Helipad plan haunts BRT core zone

Proposal before district administration; site inspection over

Violations galore continue at the tiger reserve in the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple (BRT) Wildlife Sanctuary.

With the Forest department imposing curbs on human intrusion into the protected area, a proposal to have a helipad here has raised concerns. 

According to documents available with Deccan Herald, a Chennai-based industrialist, who owns a coffee estate at Bedagali village within the limits of the sanctuary, has sought permission from the district administration to construct a helipad.


Closer to tiger reserve
The helipad is proposed to be constructed on a three-acre land in survey number 24/1 of Punajanur village, which is about half a kilometre from the tiger reserve.  A temporary helipad was created on a farmer’s field here, which the industrialist had used three years ago.

Following the proposal, the tahsildar and the district police officials inspected the site. It is learnt that the farmers, on whose land the proposed helipad would come up, have given their consent. The police officials who inspected the site have also given their go-ahead. But the Forest Conservator and Director of BRT Tiger Project, citing Wildlife Protection Act, has expressed his concerns about having a helipad in the protected area.

He has submitted a report to the district administration.  The total area of BRT Tiger Reserve is 574.82 sq km, of which the core zone is 359.10 sq km. The buffer zone stretches to 215.72 sq km.

But a few coffee estates are found in the core zone - Emerald Heaven Estate (Bedaguli), Biligirirangan coffee estate, Nilgiri Plantation Estate in Honnameti and Sangameshwara Coffee Estate in Athikane.

Cancellation sought
The Forest department, in a proposal submitted to the district administration, has sought cancellation of the revenue land grant to the four coffee estates and declare them as forest lands.

Environmentalists have appealed to the district administration not to grant permission to the estate owners to construct a helipad, which would have an adverse impact on wildlife.