NGO raises concerns over functioning of ESZ monitoring committees in Shivamogga

As human wildlife conflict incidents rise in the state, an NGO in Shivamogga has flagged the need for better management of eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) of the three protected areas in Kudremukh, Someshwara and Mookambika wildlife sanctuaries, while officials have denied the allegations.

In a complaint addressed to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and officials of the state government, Green Lives Shivamogga Trust, said, “several illegal activities” were undertaken in violation of rules in the three sanctuary in the jurisdiction of the Kudremukh Wildlife Division.

The complaint said ESZ monitoring committees of Kudremukh park and Someshwara sanctuary have been set up without obtaining permission from the government. “As per point number 5 of all ESZ notifications, the monitoring committee must be constituted by the state government of Karnataka after obtaining all relevant approvals... Despite this, the member secretary has illegally constituted monitoring committees for these two protected areas without mandatory approvals of the government,” it said.

‘Meetings held illegally’

The complaint said the member secretary convened seven meetings of the monitoring committee of which “only the first” was conducted as per law.

“Subsequent meetings were held illegally, and the committee granted approvals and clearances for multiple proposals without authority, without the state government’s approval and without following due procedure. These approvals are void ab initio, being issued by an illegally constituted committee,” it said.

Further, it cited a written response by S G Vinayaka, a member of the Mookambika monitoring committee, saying he was officially invited to only two meetings and attended only one. N A Madhyasta, another member, said his appointment was limited to the Mookambika monitoring committee. “Both of their names were used in almost all notices and minutes of meetings (of other two monitoring committees) without legal appointment,” it said.

The complaint said a tree felling order was issued by the Kundapura Deputy Conservator of Forest in Oct 2023 for widening NH 169. Though a stretch of the road comes under Kudremukh ESZ, the monitoring committee did not take action, it said, adding though environment clearance was required for ‘Category B’ projects in the ESZ, clearances were given without the same.

It sought an urgent intervention of the authorities to declare the monitoring committees for Kudremukh and Someshwara “illegal”.

“Suspend all decisions, recommendations and approvals issued by these illegally constituted committees and order an immediate halt to all ongoing works pertaining to regulated activities within the ESZs,” it said, requesting an inquiry.

Officials refute plaints

Member secretary of the Mookambika monitoring committee and Kudremukh DCF M Sivarambabu refuted all allegations. “Except for Someshwara wildlife sanctuary, the government has appointed (NGO and expert) members for the monitoring committee of Mookambika sanctuary and Kudremukh National Park,” he said.

However, the Green Lives’ complaint includes an RTI response dated Sept 22, 2025 by Kudremukh Wildlife Division, which says the government had not appointed non-government and expert members to the Kudremukh monitoring committee. “I will look into it,” he said.

The officer said decisions on all proposals were taken as per rules. “The particular road (NH 169) doesn’t warrant environmental clearance (EC) as the widening is for less than 30-km length. As it doesn’t require EC, it doesn’t require wildlife clearance,” he said.