<p>Four acres and 12 guntas of land in Managala village, in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR), is reportedly being converted into a resort. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The land is just four kilometres from the office of the BTR conservator of forests near the Kanyanapura elephant corridor. According to BTR officials, Saad Bin Jung, who owns resorts in Kabini, Gundlupet in Bandipur and Cauvery Fishing Camp in Mekedaatu, is reportedly constructing one here also. <br /><br />“When we went for verification, we were chased away. Jung claims to have got permission for constructing his property in 2008 before it was declared an ESZ by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 2011. But the question is, if he had permission then, why has he started construction now? After the declaration of the ESZ, the earlier orders stand cancelled,” said a BTR staffer. <br /><br />Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) B J Hosmath said that Jung’s claim of getting permission from the local deputy commissioner and gram panchayat to construct a farm house needs to be verified. “There is a lot of ambiguity and gray areas on which I have sought a report. It is not just in our hands as the local administration is also involved,” he said, claiming helplessness. Hosmath was the one who had pressed for declaring the first ESZ in BTR and said he had not granted permission for any project. <br />In 2015, former honorary wildlife warden Naveen Kumar was stopped from constructing a similar property in the ESZ of BTR by former BTR director B B Mallesh. <br /><br />The property reportedly in contention is on Survey Number 170, and is owned by Bellappa, son of late Kellappa, a farmer and native of Managala village. Bellappa’s relatives say the property was still in his name and the family was paying taxes. They claim the property has been illegally occupied in connivance with the local administration to promote tourism. <br /><br />Wildlife conservationist P M Muthanna said that after the ESZ was declared, many farmers were willing to sell their land to the forest department. But he said there were some influential people who were occupying land and creating problems.<br /><br />What is an ESZ<br />The MoEF, in February 2011, created ESZs around protected forest areas to prevent damage caused by various developmental activities. They act as shock absorbers by barring development activities close to forests. <br /><br />The MoEF, in a September 2011 notification, states that the ESZ of BTR covers the entire Kanyanapura elephant corridor consisting of 15 villages and ESZ-2, consisting of 108 villages. While existing establishments are exempted from the notification, construction of new resorts and commercial hotels are regulated and prohibited. <br /><br />‘It’s my house, not resort’<br />Jung defended himself and said that he was constructing his personal house in Managala village, where he grew up, on land measuring 1,800 sqft. He said he had got the permission from the forest department in 2014 and renewed it for another year in 2016. <br /><br />“The forest department is spreading false news that it is an ESZ. It is private land and I have registered a case with the Chamarajanagar DC in 2013. I also filed a writ petition against the forest department in the High Court three to four days back,” he said. <br />Jung claims that “the alienation construction permission from the DC was valid. The Range Forest Officer illegally, without notice, using force on the staff, stopped the work illegally. Two months ago, the DC gave permission for building on two guntas, which is valid for another nine months. There have been extortion threats from local people demanding money, on which a complaint has been filed with DC and HC.”<br /> </p>
<p>Four acres and 12 guntas of land in Managala village, in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR), is reportedly being converted into a resort. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The land is just four kilometres from the office of the BTR conservator of forests near the Kanyanapura elephant corridor. According to BTR officials, Saad Bin Jung, who owns resorts in Kabini, Gundlupet in Bandipur and Cauvery Fishing Camp in Mekedaatu, is reportedly constructing one here also. <br /><br />“When we went for verification, we were chased away. Jung claims to have got permission for constructing his property in 2008 before it was declared an ESZ by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in 2011. But the question is, if he had permission then, why has he started construction now? After the declaration of the ESZ, the earlier orders stand cancelled,” said a BTR staffer. <br /><br />Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) B J Hosmath said that Jung’s claim of getting permission from the local deputy commissioner and gram panchayat to construct a farm house needs to be verified. “There is a lot of ambiguity and gray areas on which I have sought a report. It is not just in our hands as the local administration is also involved,” he said, claiming helplessness. Hosmath was the one who had pressed for declaring the first ESZ in BTR and said he had not granted permission for any project. <br />In 2015, former honorary wildlife warden Naveen Kumar was stopped from constructing a similar property in the ESZ of BTR by former BTR director B B Mallesh. <br /><br />The property reportedly in contention is on Survey Number 170, and is owned by Bellappa, son of late Kellappa, a farmer and native of Managala village. Bellappa’s relatives say the property was still in his name and the family was paying taxes. They claim the property has been illegally occupied in connivance with the local administration to promote tourism. <br /><br />Wildlife conservationist P M Muthanna said that after the ESZ was declared, many farmers were willing to sell their land to the forest department. But he said there were some influential people who were occupying land and creating problems.<br /><br />What is an ESZ<br />The MoEF, in February 2011, created ESZs around protected forest areas to prevent damage caused by various developmental activities. They act as shock absorbers by barring development activities close to forests. <br /><br />The MoEF, in a September 2011 notification, states that the ESZ of BTR covers the entire Kanyanapura elephant corridor consisting of 15 villages and ESZ-2, consisting of 108 villages. While existing establishments are exempted from the notification, construction of new resorts and commercial hotels are regulated and prohibited. <br /><br />‘It’s my house, not resort’<br />Jung defended himself and said that he was constructing his personal house in Managala village, where he grew up, on land measuring 1,800 sqft. He said he had got the permission from the forest department in 2014 and renewed it for another year in 2016. <br /><br />“The forest department is spreading false news that it is an ESZ. It is private land and I have registered a case with the Chamarajanagar DC in 2013. I also filed a writ petition against the forest department in the High Court three to four days back,” he said. <br />Jung claims that “the alienation construction permission from the DC was valid. The Range Forest Officer illegally, without notice, using force on the staff, stopped the work illegally. Two months ago, the DC gave permission for building on two guntas, which is valid for another nine months. There have been extortion threats from local people demanding money, on which a complaint has been filed with DC and HC.”<br /> </p>