During the hearing of a petition by B R Deepak, City-based advocate and party in person, the Central government standing counsel T A Ramachandraiah submitted before the division bench comprising Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Mohan Shanthan Gowdar that the master plan of the State was approved by CZA on December 23, 2009 and the layout plan was approved on March 29, 2010.
The CZA submitted that the proposed night safari will be allowed only outside the protected area of the park on condition that it will not disturb any wildlife in the vicinity. “It will not be allowed in Bannerghatta National Park,” the union government counsel said.
The State, which submitted the master layout plan to the High Court, said out of the total 10,270 hectare of Bannerghatta National Park only 732 hectare has been earmarked for the safari.
Counsel for the State Government said that the State has prepared a detailed project report of Rs 178 crore to develop the biological park and purchase of special night safari vehicles. Out of that amount Rs 72 crore will be raised by the soft loan and State will grant remaining Rs 106 crore.
The company Bannerghatta Night Safari Limited (BNSL) will be formed to take up the project. The petitioner Deepak contended that allowing night safari in Bannerghatta will disturb the wildlife and the elephant corridor, resulting in man-animal conflict. The matter has been adjourned to the last week of May.