BANDIPUR TIGER RESERVE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: The Karnataka Forest Department recently directed the Bandipur Tiger Reserve’s eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) monitoring panel to act against illegal cottages built within the reserve’s ESZ.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve

• Established: In 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park

o Expanded with the name Bandipur Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1973.

• Location: Two contiguous districts (Mysore and Chamarajanagar) of Karnataka and located at the tri-junction area of the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala
• Rivers: It is surrounded by River Kabini in its north and River Moyar in its south.
• Vegetation: Dry deciduous to tropical mixed deciduous.
• Flora: Rosewood, Indian kino tree, sandalwood, Indian laurel, clumping bamboo, giant clumping bamboo etc.
• Fauna: Wild Asian elephants, bengal tiger, gaur, sloth bear, golden jackal, dhole, four-horned antelope, etc.

Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ)

• About: ESZ are areas in India notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), GoI around Protected Areas, National Park and Wildlife sanctuaries. 
• Range: 10 Kms
• Prohibited activities: Commercial mining, saw mills, establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of wood, Tourism, discharge of effluents or any solid waste or production of hazardous substances are all prohibited.