<p>Demanding the state government to reconsider its decision related to the notification of Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), Rajya Sabha MP from Bengaluru Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and urged to reconsider the government’s decision to reduce the ESZ area around BNP.</p>.<p>In his letter to the CM, Chandrasekhar said, “BNP, with its 260 km large protected forest, serves as a catchment area for water bodies that feed the River Cauvery. No other big Indian city has such an enormous forest region which is rich in biodiversity, so close to urban limits. The shrinking of the ESZ zone will cause great damage to the wildlife and the flora in the said regions aggravating the man-animal conflict. The ESZ reduction was first mooted by the previous government and I along with several public representatives had opposed it. But this decision now comes as a shock to all of us.”</p>.<p>Further, he appealed to the CM to reconsider the decision to reduce the ESZ area and instead must work towards ensuring sustainable development that promotes ecological balance and retains the original size of ESZ. Initially, in 2016, the state government had declared 268.96 sq km as the ESZ and subsequently in 2018, the same was reduced to 168.84 sq km leaving the green activists agitated.</p>
<p>Demanding the state government to reconsider its decision related to the notification of Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), Rajya Sabha MP from Bengaluru Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and urged to reconsider the government’s decision to reduce the ESZ area around BNP.</p>.<p>In his letter to the CM, Chandrasekhar said, “BNP, with its 260 km large protected forest, serves as a catchment area for water bodies that feed the River Cauvery. No other big Indian city has such an enormous forest region which is rich in biodiversity, so close to urban limits. The shrinking of the ESZ zone will cause great damage to the wildlife and the flora in the said regions aggravating the man-animal conflict. The ESZ reduction was first mooted by the previous government and I along with several public representatives had opposed it. But this decision now comes as a shock to all of us.”</p>.<p>Further, he appealed to the CM to reconsider the decision to reduce the ESZ area and instead must work towards ensuring sustainable development that promotes ecological balance and retains the original size of ESZ. Initially, in 2016, the state government had declared 268.96 sq km as the ESZ and subsequently in 2018, the same was reduced to 168.84 sq km leaving the green activists agitated.</p>