Court Protects Elephant Corridors from Housing Project

The Karnataka High Court has declared that elephant corridors are essential components of their natural habitat, not merely passages that can be altered at will. Justices D K Singh and H Shanthi Bhushan emphasized that development must be balanced with environmental and species interests.

The court's ruling came during a hearing on land acquisition for a housing project in Anekal taluka, Bengaluru urban district. Landowners had objected, stating the lands were agricultural and their sole livelihood. Initially, the court paused acquisition, noting forest official statements about the eco-sensitive zone's distance from Bannerghatta National Park.

Ultimately, the court quashed the land acquisition proceedings for the residential project, deeming it "misconceived" and potentially causing "irreversible ecological, environmental and wildlife related consequences." The project was situated within the Bannerghatta National Park Eco-Sensitive Zone. The court reasoned that housing is not the only necessity for human life; ecology, wildlife, and water are equally crucial.

The judgment highlighted the rich biodiversity of Bannerghatta National Park and its significance as an elephant habitat and movement landscape. It stressed that protecting elephant corridors is vital for long-term conservation, landscape connectivity, and ecological resilience. The court found the land acquisition process lacked proper environmental impact and socio-ecological considerations.