What is the Bannerghatta National Park Eco-Sensitive Zone reduction about?

The Eco-Sensitive Zone around Bannerghatta National Park has been reduced, impacting its role as a buffer for wildlife conservation.

Why was the Eco-Sensitive Zone around Bannerghatta National Park reduced?

The reduction was primarily to facilitate a large-scale housing development project by the Karnataka Housing Board.

What did the Supreme Court committee recommend regarding Bannerghatta National Park's ESZ?

The committee recommended restoring the original 2016 draft notification for the Eco-Sensitive Zone and cancelling the reduced 2020 notification.

Home / Environment / Karnataka's Elephant Buffer Zone Shrinks Amidst Development Push

Karnataka's Elephant Buffer Zone Shrinks Amidst Development Push

6 Feb

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Summary

Eco-Sensitive Zone around Bannerghatta National Park drastically reduced.
Reduction aims to facilitate a large-scale housing development project.
Supreme Court committee recommended restoring the original ESZ.

Karnataka's Elephant Buffer Zone Shrinks Amidst Development Push

The Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) surrounding Karnataka's Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) has been significantly reduced, a move that raises concerns for elephant conservation. Initially proposed in 2016, the ESZ’s area and buffer distance were successively decreased, with the final notification in March 2020 drastically cutting the zone.

This reduction appears aimed at facilitating the Karnataka Housing Board's Surya Nagar Layout, a large housing development project. This development encroaches upon areas previously designated as buffer zones, leading to environmental alteration and potential human-wildlife conflict.

A legal challenge has brought the issue before the Supreme Court, which mandated a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to investigate. The CEC’s January 2026 report recommended restoring the ESZ to its 2016 draft notification status and completing the re-notification within six months.