We seek your sincere attention on the mentioned subject, , as this is not a conventional conservation issue it has now become a SURVIVAL THREAT for Bannerghatta National Park.

Unlike other national parks, Bannerghatta’s closeness to Bengaluru makes it a prime target for real estate mafias and land grabbers, many of whom possess enough political clout to override conservation safeguards. This unique vulnerability has escalated its challenges into a looming survival crisis.

A forest that once echoed with elephant herds and thriving wildlife now wakes each day to the sounds of blasting quarries, bulldozers clearing land, and real estate syndicates fencing off forest fringes. Bannerghatta is being suffocated from all sides not by nature, but by human ambition, greed, and apathy. If we do not intervene with urgency, this national park, which has protected Bengaluru for decades as its natural ecological shield, may not survive the decade ahead.

 I wish to bring to your notice the following critical threats that require immediate and coordinated action from the Forest Department and the State Government.

1. Severe Survival Threats & ESZ Reduction
The gravest concern begins with the alarming and unjustified reduction of the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). A shocking 100 sq. km has been removed from protection, shrinking Bannerghatta’s ESZ from 268 sq. km to only 168 sq. km.

This drastic reduction is not only ecologically catastrophic but also encourages anthropogenic pressure on already fragile forests. It exposes the park to unprecedented commercial activity, land grabbing, and unregulated construction.

Simultaneously, persistent encroachments ,agricultural, residential, and commercial  have severely eaten into forest space and obstructed wildlife movement. Illegal mining and quarrying continue dangerously close to elephant corridors despite bans, causing tremors, noise, and habitat disturbance.

The cumulative impact includes:

Shrinking wildlife habitats
Fragmented corridors
Increased human–animal conflict
Loss of critical foraging grounds
 
2. Urbanisation, Real Estate Pressure & Degradation of Biodiversity
Rapid urban expansion around Bengaluru has accelerated habitat loss around Bannerghatta.
Unregulated construction, quarrying, illegal resorts, homestays, and unauthorised picnic spots along park borders are adding enormous stress to the ecosystem.

Scientific studies indicate:

Over 44% of Bannerghatta’s dry deciduous forests have vanished between 1995–2021
If unchecked, urban sprawl will engulf surrounding green zones by 2027
Wetlands, vegetation, and groundwater recharge areas are rapidly disappearing
These trends directly threaten the long-term survival of the park and its wildlife.

3. Flying Into Failure: Proposed Airport Around Bannerghatta & Kanakapura
The proposal to construct an airport near Bannerghatta and Kanakapura forests represents an unprecedented threat. Airports bring with them a radius of 30–50 km of inevitable urbanisation, including highways, real estate, traffic, hotels, commercial complexes, and dense human activity.

Impacts include:

High-decibel aircraft noise disturbing elephants, leopards, sloth bears, ungulates, and birdlife
Fragmentation of vital corridors and breeding areas
Night-time lighting disrupting nocturnal wildlife
Pollution from aviation fuel and construction debris
Massive surge in human–wildlife conflict
Long-term irreversible ecological collapse
This will mark the beginning of the end of Bannerghatta National Park.No environmental logic or scientific assessment can justify such a project.

This airport must not be allowed to proceed in or around the Bannerghatta landscape.

4. When Bannerghatta Breaks, an Entire Wildlife Corridor breaks
Bannerghatta is not an isolated forest , it is the critical connective corridor linking:

Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
BRT Tiger Reserve
Bandipur Tiger Reserve
Sathyamangala Tiger Reserve
These forests form Southern India’s largest elephant and big-cat landscape.
If Bannerghatta’s integrity is compromised, this entire corridor collapses.

Consequences will include:

Isolation of wildlife populations
Broken migratory routes
Decline in genetic diversity
Increased conflict in multiple districts
Ecological breakdown across two states
When Bannerghatta is threatened, every connected sanctuary is threatened.

PRAYER & REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION

In light of the above, I earnestly request the Forest Department to bring  these issues to the immediate attention of the  SIT  Special Investigation Team that is being constituted, and ensure they are thoroughly addressed .

Urgently review and recommend restoration of the reduced ESZ area.
Stop illegal mining, quarrying, and construction around the park with immediate effect.
Crack down on encroachments, illegal resorts, and unauthorized commercial establishments.
Conduct a comprehensive wildlife corridor conservation assessment.
Strongly oppose and officially object to the proposed airport near Bannerghatta & Kanakapura.
Recommend immediate intervention from the State Government and MoEFCC.

The survival of Bannerghatta National Park now rests on decisive action. If we act today, we preserve an irreplaceable natural heritage for generations. If we delay, we risk losing one of India’s most vital wildlife landscapes forever.

Thank you 

Kiran Urs 

Bannerghatta  Nature Conservation Trust .