Overview
- Central Empowered Committee member Chandra Prakash Goyal visited Bannerghatta National Park, met farmers and petitioners, and was briefed by senior forest officials.
- The inspection follows a Supreme Court petition led by K Belliappa challenging a government move that reduced the ESZ from 268.9 sq km to 168.8 sq km and narrowed the buffer from 4 km to 1 km.
- Petitioners say the final notification excluded ecologically sensitive pockets, including elephant corridors, in a move they allege benefited real estate and quarrying interests.
- The panel’s fact‑finding includes meetings with senior Karnataka officials, including the chief secretary, to gauge ecological impacts on the urban‑adjacent wildlife landscape.
- Goyal said the committee will submit recommendations before the January 7 hearing and noted that mining is prohibited within 1 km of protected areas.