BAN ON NIGHT TRAFFIC THROUGH BANDIPUR

WHY?

Bandipur is a beautiful forest reserve located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Bandipur occupies

a special place in India's efforts towards natural conservation

The sanctuary covering 874.20 sq km is situated on the border of three southern states - Karnataka,

Kerala and Tamil NaduIt is a dwelling place for wild animals like elephant,

tiger, panther, sambar, wild boar jackal, squirrel, gaur, barking deer, langur etc

Connecting Sultan batheri to Mysore by 115kmGundalpetu to Ooty 164 km

20 vehicles per min300 goods vehicles and 1000 of

tourist vehicles per day .

1,600 animals, including tigers, leopards andelephants cross the roads in Bandipur at night.

The reason for ban on night traffic and what mankind did to the wild life animals.

Animals killed by speeding trucks, buses and vans.

A survey conducted between 2004 and 2008 has revealed that 91 mammals, 75 reptiles and 56 birds were killed due to speeding vehicles in this period, almost double the number killed by poachers in the reserve.

Governments Role• 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

Why protest against BAN• The night traffic ban at Bandipur Tiger Reserve

is not just haunting truck companies and commuters, but also a large group of professionals from Kerala who work in Bengaluru.

• For them it’s a nightmarish experience to wait for daylight to travel and also extends their holiday by another day, just for travelling.

To know the mentality of humans towards wild life a group of people conducted a survey by placing 2 rubber dummies in road which was in the shapes of a snake and a tortoise.

And the result was

94% Ignored to save the animals from the road3% Consciously drive through them3% Tried to rescue them

Remedies Proper sign boards must be placed at proper points.

Drivers must be given orientation those who are passing by the way.

Place speed breakers to cut down the speed.

If this is punishable

Then why not this?

"Life is life's greatest gift. Guard the life of another creature as you would your own because it is your own. On life's scale of values, the smallest is no less precious to the creature who owns it than the largest..."