The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has raised a red flag over serious violations in the protected Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) surrounding Bengaluru's Bannerghatta National Park (BNP). In a significant report, the committee has not only highlighted the breaches but has also put forward concrete suggestions for ecological restoration of the area.
Petition Spurs CEC Investigation
This crucial intervention by the CEC comes in direct response to a petition filed by environmental advocate KB Belliappa and other concerned citizens. The petitioners had legally challenged the controversial reduction of the ESZ around the park's boundary, arguing that it opened the door to unchecked development and posed a severe threat to the park's fragile ecosystem.
The committee's findings, submitted and made public, validate these concerns. The report meticulously details how the sanctity of the buffer zone has been compromised. While the exact contents of the violations are detailed in the committee's document, they broadly point to activities and developments that contravene the protective regulations established for ESZs.
The Core of the Violation
Eco-Sensitive Zones act as vital shock absorbers for protected areas like national parks. They are meant to regulate and prohibit certain industrial and commercial activities, creating a transition zone between the fully protected core and the more developed areas outside. The reduction of the ESZ around Bannerghatta, which the petitioners contested, effectively shrunk this protective layer.
The CEC's report suggests that this reduction has likely facilitated the violations now being flagged. The committee's stance underscores a critical principle in conservation: weakening regulatory boundaries often leads to direct environmental harm. The report dated 07 January 2026 serves as an official, authoritative confirmation of the degradation occurring at one of Karnataka's most important natural habitats.
Path Forward: Restoration and Accountability
Moving beyond mere identification of the problem, the Central Empowered Committee has proactively recommended a course of action focused on ecological restoration. This implies a process to undo the damage and return the affected areas within the ESZ to a state that supports the park's biodiversity.
The ball is now in the court of the state authorities. The CEC's report creates substantial legal and moral pressure on the Karnataka government and the forest department to act. Expected steps may include a review of permissions granted in the zone, enforcement actions against violators, and the formulation of a scientific plan to restore the landscape. This development is a major victory for environmental activists and sets a precedent for how citizen petitions can lead to high-level scrutiny of ecological governance.
The case of Bannerghatta highlights the ongoing tension between urban development pressure in Bengaluru and the imperative to conserve natural heritage. The CEC's clear stance reinforces the non-negotiable need for strict adherence to environmental safeguards to protect India's national parks for future generations.
