In Bengaluru, this national park faces an Aravalli-like threat to its eco-sensitive zone

The park is under threat from the interests of local mining and real estate firms who are eyeing the green zone, the paper said citing activists. (Representative image)

• Supreme Court panel to inspect Bannerghatta park's eco sensitive zone on Jan 2
• Eco sensitive zone reduced from 268.9 sqkm to 168.8 sqkm in 2018 notification
• Activists say mining and real estate interests threaten the park's green cover

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A Supreme Court-formed panel is set to visit Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park on January 2 after a controversy similar to the dispute over Aravalli hills erupted over plans to reduce the eco sensitive zone around the city’s green cover, a report by the Times of India said.

The issue stems from a government notification issued in 2018 that significantly reduces the park’s eco sensitive zone from 268.9 sqkm to 168.8 sqkm and cut its width from 4 km to just 1 km, TOI said.

The park is under threat from the interests of local mining and real estate firms who are eyeing the green zone, the paper said citing activists.

Following the government’s move, a plea was filed in May 2025 by a group of citizens, saying the plan will undermine the purpose of ESZ, the newspaper said.

A Central Empowered Committee, appointed by the top court, will inspect the park on January 2 and meet local government officials, including the state’s chief secretary to determine the ecological impact if the planned reduction is approved. The panel will be led by Chandra Prakash Goyal, TOI reported.

Originally, the Union environment minister had in June 2016 preliminary notification declared 268.9 sqkm around the national park as ESZ. However, two years later in 2018, the final notification drastically reduced the protected region. Experts and activists claimed this was due to the pressure from mining and real estate companies with interests in the green zone, the paper said.

The apex court on December 29 kept in abeyance the directions in its November 20 verdict that had accepted a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges recommended by a committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Supreme Court also proposed to constitute a high-powered committee comprising domain experts to undertake an exhaustive and holistic examination of the issue.

A government-led committee had recommended that the Aravalli hills be defined as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above its local relief, and the Aravalli range will be a collection of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other.