Coimbatore: Environmental activist have applauded the Supreme Court’s order upholding the night traffic ban through the Bandipur National highway (766) and to close down the existing stretch after up-gradation of the alternative alignment in future.
Coimbatore: Environmental activist have applauded the Supreme Court’s order upholding the night traffic ban through the Bandipur National highway (766) and to close down the existing stretch after up-gradation of the alternative alignment in future.
Hailing it as a landmark judgment, the activists said that it will even prevent the future construction of roads through the forest landscapes which is causing the death of several rare wildlife species in the country.
The decision to close down two national highways through the tiger reserve, one connecting Gundlupet to Waynad and other from Gundlupet to Ooty, during the night, was introduced in 2009.
According to reports maintained by Bandipur Tiger Reserve 93 wildlife deaths were reported between 2004 and 2009 before the ban on night traffic was put into force.
However, after implementation of the ban, the number of road kills came down to just 34 from 2010 to 2018 period.
Though the Karnataka high court gave an order to ban night traffic (9 pm to 6 am) by upholding the Chamarajnagar district administration’s directive, it was challenged in the Supreme Court by the Karnataka Government.
"The Supreme Court upholding the ban of night traffic through the tiger reserve is a laudable decision," said K Mohan Raj, an environmental activist in Coimbatore.
"Due to the increase of traffic through the national highway, there were frequent deaths of animals and it was a huge tourist disturbance. The tourist not just fed the wild animals, they also ventured in the forest risking their lives" he noted.
"Though to an extent, things were manageable in the morning hours. However, after dusk controlling the traffic and what was happening inside forest areas was unmanageable," he said.
"Moreover, the court order to completely close down the existing highway after up-gradation of alternative alignment is the best part of the judgment. This is a good step considering the fact that using the highway through an alternative route will help in connecting many villages and towns, benefitting the people" he said
Arul Badusha, an environmentalist from Waynad in Kerala, said" that healthy forest and wildlife is a necessity for the survival of the human being".
" If people failed to realize this fact it would have serious consequences. Hence the court decision to operative an alternative route and to ban the night travel is a welcome move" he said.
However, the restriction once implemented would affect the transport services existing in the route.
At least 8 services are operated through the national highway from Kerala. But the alternative routes from Mysore to Hunsur and Hunsur-Gonikoppal-Kutta would extend the travel by another 42Km and 72Km for people travelling from Sulthanbathery in Waynad.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation is operating 8 buses from Ooty to Mysore and Bangalore. With the restriction of buses in the Bandipur route, the corporation is likely to reroute the operation through the Sathyamangalam, which will additionally increase the travelling distance.
According to TNSTC official, many trips are operated which collects about Rs30000 to Rs50000 per day, depending on the season in this route.
"However, if the existing roads are closed, they are yet to figure out which other alternative routes can be taken for bus travel. There are not many alternative routes and they have to only depend on the Sathyamangalam route" he added.
Hailing it as a landmark judgment, the activists said that it will even prevent the future construction of roads through the forest landscapes which is causing the death of several rare wildlife species in the country.
The decision to close down two national highways through the tiger reserve, one connecting Gundlupet to Waynad and other from Gundlupet to Ooty, during the night, was introduced in 2009.
According to reports maintained by Bandipur Tiger Reserve 93 wildlife deaths were reported between 2004 and 2009 before the ban on night traffic was put into force.
However, after implementation of the ban, the number of road kills came down to just 34 from 2010 to 2018 period.
Though the Karnataka high court gave an order to ban night traffic (9 pm to 6 am) by upholding the Chamarajnagar district administration’s directive, it was challenged in the Supreme Court by the Karnataka Government.
"The Supreme Court upholding the ban of night traffic through the tiger reserve is a laudable decision," said K Mohan Raj, an environmental activist in Coimbatore.
"Due to the increase of traffic through the national highway, there were frequent deaths of animals and it was a huge tourist disturbance. The tourist not just fed the wild animals, they also ventured in the forest risking their lives" he noted.
"Though to an extent, things were manageable in the morning hours. However, after dusk controlling the traffic and what was happening inside forest areas was unmanageable," he said.
"Moreover, the court order to completely close down the existing highway after up-gradation of alternative alignment is the best part of the judgment. This is a good step considering the fact that using the highway through an alternative route will help in connecting many villages and towns, benefitting the people" he said
Arul Badusha, an environmentalist from Waynad in Kerala, said" that healthy forest and wildlife is a necessity for the survival of the human being".
" If people failed to realize this fact it would have serious consequences. Hence the court decision to operative an alternative route and to ban the night travel is a welcome move" he said.
However, the restriction once implemented would affect the transport services existing in the route.
At least 8 services are operated through the national highway from Kerala. But the alternative routes from Mysore to Hunsur and Hunsur-Gonikoppal-Kutta would extend the travel by another 42Km and 72Km for people travelling from Sulthanbathery in Waynad.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation is operating 8 buses from Ooty to Mysore and Bangalore. With the restriction of buses in the Bandipur route, the corporation is likely to reroute the operation through the Sathyamangalam, which will additionally increase the travelling distance.
According to TNSTC official, many trips are operated which collects about Rs30000 to Rs50000 per day, depending on the season in this route.
"However, if the existing roads are closed, they are yet to figure out which other alternative routes can be taken for bus travel. There are not many alternative routes and they have to only depend on the Sathyamangalam route" he added.