The chorus to declare Hesaraghatta grasslands as Greater Hesaraghatta Grasslands Conservation Reserve is once again gaining momentum. Green activists and residents of the area, organised under the banner “Save Hesaraghatta Grasslands” will meet at Cubbon Park on October 9, Sunday, to push Karnataka government to declare the grasslands as a conservation reserve.
In 2021, the Forest Department had proposed before the State Board for Wildlife, chaired by the Chief Minister, to declare the grasslands as Greater Hesaraghatta Grasslands Conservation Reserve which was rejected by the Board. It was alleged that an MLA from the ruling party had influenced the decision. However, in July earlier this year, High Court directed the State Board for Wildlife to reconsider the proposal to declare the grasslands as a Conservation Reserve. The Board was supposed to meet on September 5, but that meeting is yet to take place. Green activists and academics have been demanding that the entire area of 5,000 odd acres of Hesaraghatta grasslands, shrublands and wetlands to be declared as Greater Hesaraghatta Grasslands Conservation Reserve.
Vijay Nishanth, president, Project Vruksha Foundation who is spearheading this campaign has already written a letter to CM Basavaraj Bommai appealing him to declare the grassland as a conservation reserve. “With Bengaluru having a population of 1.3 crore and the northern side of the city having no green cover, it is imperative, Hessarghatta becomes a conservation reserve to make this great international city liveable and protect it from flooding, pollution and water scarcity. We hope the right decision is taken in the interest of the people and environment in which they live-for our children to survive,” Nishanth stated in the letter.
