Ban on Night Traffic in Bandipur...
Found this article on Yahoo News... Quoting...
"
Bangalore, July 30 (IANS) Karnataka's environmentalists and forest officials working hard to protect the forests and their wild inhabitants have hailed the Karnataka High Court's recent judgement banning vehicular traffic at night through the famous Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Karnataka High Court Monday banned night vehicular traffic on two roads bisecting the Bandipur forest in Chamarajanagar district.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice V.G. Sabhahit passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition challenging the action of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chamarajanagar district in withdrawing a notification closing two roads passing through the Bandipur forest for vehicular traffic at night (from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.).
The court has asked the ban to be implemented within five days of the judgement.
'We welcome the judgement. It's a good news for the entire conservation fraternity. Since long we've been trying hard to put an end to large scale killing of animals in road accidents,' Hari Somashekar, an environmentalist, told IANS.
Wildlife enthusiasts and environmentalists said that animal casualties from road accidents have been higher than poaching cases in recent years.
'Because of the large-scale traffic movement right through the middle of Bandipur, especially during night hours, many animals have been killed,' added Somashekar.
Somashekar is the director, publicity and awareness, Kenneth Anderson Nature Society (KANS), a wildlife and environment group working for animal protection in Bandipur.
KANS as a part of its conservation measure has been conducting weekend awareness drives to educate the commuters to be sensitive towards animals.
Over an eight month period, around 10,000 commuters were educated about accident free driving at Bandipur.
Karnataka forest department had earlier proposed the ban on night vehicular movement along the national highway through Bandipur to save animals from being killed by speeding trucks, buses and vans.
However, hours ahead of the ban coming into effect on the night of June 10, the Karnataka government said the decision was on hold.
'It's a huge victory for us. Vehicular ban at night through Bandipur will ensure safety of animals. We're happy with the decision,' said Laxmeesha Acharya, a Bangalore-based environmentalist.
Echoing Acharya, wildlife photographer and environmentalist Dinesh Kumble said: 'Over the years, a lot of innocent animals were killed in road accidents in Bandipur. Now, animals would have free movement in the sanctuary.'
According to statistics, around 15-20 vehicles pass through Bandipur National Park every minute. More than 100 trucks carrying vegetables from Mysore and Chamarajanagar and 250-300 sand laden trucks pass through this park every day.
This is apart from thousands of tourist vehicles that ply on this road. A number of animals had been killed in accidents during the night.
The sanctuary covering 874.20 sq km is situated on the border of three southern states - Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Although the forest department does not have a record of the number of animals killed in such road accidents(???), experts believe every year dozens of animals fall victim to speeding vehicles at night.
The Mysore-Ooty national highway running through Bandipur serves as an animal corridor and several animals have been killed while crossing the road at night. The animals killed include deer, wild pigs and sloth bear."
Vehicular traffic ban at night
The ban on vehicular traffic along the Mudumalai-Bandipur wild life range from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. is a welcome move by the forest authorities to save wild life of that region.But cant we think about operating cable cars in these regions so that vehicular traffic stops in day time also and the residents of the two regions are also not affected.
Irresponsible behaviour by tourist vehicles
While closing the road is one of the options, there has to be constant patrolling of such highways by a combined team consisting of police and forest department.
Very often on this particular highway, one can see people stopping their vehicles, getting down and having picnic on road side. They also litter the area. I have seen people drinking alcohol on the road side. They feed animals. They throw stones at animals. Some guys have also got killed by elephants while indulging in such activities.
The best is to catch such guys and punish them severely. Half the problems will be solved.
The problem is neither the forest department or the police are interested in going behind such offenders.
Even the vehicles belonging to forest department do not adhere to the speed limits prescribed on these roads.
Night ban thro Bandipur withdrawn!!
The central government lifted the ban and has said that NH come under Union Surface Transport Ministry and has also said that the State Govt has no powers to ban traffic. With this, the Union Govt seems to have lifted the ban thro Bandipur.
Pls see article enclosed.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...affic-ban.html
Plea to the central govt. Not to lift the night-traffic-ban thru bandipur
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tiger Ramesh
The central government lifted the ban and has said that NH come under Union Surface Transport Ministry and has also said that the State Govt has no powers to ban traffic. With this, the Union Govt seems to have lifted the ban thro Bandipur.
Pls see article enclosed.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...affic-ban.html
Road killing is one of the major threats for wild animals .they don't know the physical demarcation of roads,crossings,state or international borders.Nowadays 'ecological & evolutionary trap'become a major concern regarding animal behaviour.The inborn inquisitiveness of wild animals to odd things especially man made constructions like roads,cars ,horn-blowing trucks,extensive powerful lights of vehicles attract them towards these and causes the unfortunate death of many of our wild fauna. In spite of the road signs which tells to drive slow, the reckless drivers drive very much faster than the recommended limits especially during night thus causing mishaps. Its high time that our govt. should understand practical problems regarding preservation and conservation of our forests and its resources ,rather than to show muscle power to establish ones superiority.Govt. have to be more realistic,practical & humble to solve this situations.I think order made by kerala high court is much more realistic & central govt. should be more sensible to lift the night traffic ban through Bandipur.
State tells HC it is ready to improve alternative roads
Dear All,
Found this article in Deccan Herald.
State tells HC it is ready to improve alternative roads
Bangalore, Feb 17, DH News Service:
The State Government on Wednesday submitted to the High Court that it is ready to improve the alternative roads connecting the State with Kerala considering the night traffic ban along the National Highway-212.
The Highway connects Gundlupet and Ooty and National Highway-67 connects Gundlupet with Sultan Batheri. Advocate General Ashok Haranahalli during the hearing of the petition related to the night traffic ban submitted that alternative roads existed and promised to improve them within six months.
“The alternative roads will not be more than 20-30 km from the existing roads, they will be improved and upgraded within six months,” he said.
Anu Chengappa, counsel for the petitioner seeking order against the road widening said that Bandipur being a tiger reserve should be kept inviolate as per the 38 V (1) of Wildlife Protection Act.
“The amended Act, specially for the tiger conservation plan has stated that the Ministries for Railways and Road Transport should plan their projects bypassing national parks and such crucial habitats,” she said.
Submitting the list of cases of poaching and timber smuggling cases, she said the ban will help curb such cases by ensuring better monitoring.
On the submission by the Kerala merchants that the people are affected, she said that people have already started using alternative roads and the timings of the movement of the vehicles have changed since the ban has been implemented.
Srinvasa Babu, the petitioner and party in person challenging the withdrawal of ban submitted that the ban was withdrawn following political pressure.
The division bench headed by Justice V Gopalagowda wanted to know about the vehicular density passing through the forest stretch.
The bench also permitted the Forest Department to make its submission. The matter has been adjourned.
Source article can be found here:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...y-improve.html
Closure should not affect Residents
I went to Calicut recently and on my way back realised that the residents of HD Kote Taluk and Gundlupet Taluk, cannot reach their homes after conducting business in Kerala after 6 PM.
For example if these residents have to sell their produce in Calicut/Mananthavady belt during the day, collect the monies in the evening and then get back to their homes, there is no way they can get back.
The only two routes are Bavali gate in Karnataka (kabini route) and Sulthan Bathery gate (gundlupet route). Both close at 6 PM. No way these people can come back home till next day morning. These people are denied their fundamental rights. Unless the government provides them with an alternate route thats not too long. Such alternate route does not exist today.
The government should consider allowing residents to get back even after the gates are closed for general traffic. They must be given ID cards.
I am considering to move an application in the Karnataka High Court. Any thoughts are welcome.
Economic upliftment cannot happen at the cost of environment damage.
We cannot cultivate in Marina beach or MG Road. We cannot have tigers in Ooty botanical garden or in Mumbai Airport. We cannot have economic development, Stock exchanges, Star Hotels, Shopping Malls, Universities and Industries inside the protected wildlife areas.
A place for everything, everything in its place.
Ramesh, Fundamental rights of people is right to a livable environment both for the present and the future generations. That includes our wildlife also.
Now wildlife shares the 12 hours and we share 12 hours in their place. I think that is the balance.
All emergency vehicles can enter and business can wait.
I don't like my animals getting killed in road accident at night in their place.
Night Ban on Railway Tracks??
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...ing-train.html
Our NGOs and Courts have been busy shutting down traffic at night on highways cutting through wildlife habitats.
In the case of Mysore - Mananthavaadi road cutting through Nagarhole National park the road has been closed too even as the DCF of the park has cited only one deer kill that too during day time, in the last 10 years. Inspite of that the road was closed for night traffic.
Why can't the Court close rail traffic in the night on sectors as reported in this news paper article? What are we waiting for? Death of 7 elephants is a very serious matter. Why can't we have a uniform policy/norm? Why is road traffic different from Rail traffic?
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...ing-train.html