Hundreds to take part in 'Bandipur Chalo' on April 6 to protest against lifting of ban on night traffic

Chamarajanagar: Over 500 people, including environmentalists, farmers, Dalits, and members of various organisations, are expected to participate in the 'Bandipur Chalo' - 'Namma Nadige Bandipur Kadege' padayatra on April 6, in protest against the removal of the night traffic ban in Bandipur.

The march will begin at 10.30 am at Gundlupet and will cover 2.5 km and culminate at Maddur checkpost. A memorandum will be submitted to DCF Prabhakaran, according to the movement convener and environmentalist S M Nagarjuna Kumar.

National Highway 766 (212) passes through Bandipur forest connecting Karnataka with neighbouring Kerala. Bandipur houses several wild animals like tiger, elephant, leopard, bear, deer and others.

If permission is given for the movement of vehicles through Bandipur, which is a biodiversity hotspot, it will pose a threat to the wild animals, say environmentalists.

If the night traffic ban is lifted, it would pave the way for illegal activities like transportation of boulders, M-sand, gravel, timber and others. Animals too would face a threat due to poaching, said Kumar.

There is a provision for movement of vehicles for 15 hours in Bandipur and only nine hours for the movement of animals. The Karnataka government should not bow to the pressure from anyone in the interest of the environment and wildlife, they urged.