Buffer zone protects human habitation

CHIKMAGALUR:  The conservation guild activists claimed that owing to buffer zone, the Project Tiger area in the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary will not affect human habitation around it.In a statement issued here on Thursday, activists of Wild Cat-C, Bhadra wildlife Conservation Trust and the Nature Conservation Guild, Sridev Hulikere and D V Girish, claimed that Project Tiger buffer zone formation would affect industrial units and construction of jungle resorts. According to them, there was no need for people around Bhadra Wildlife sanctuary to panic.The activists added that the cultivable lands, including plantations, are within a 10 km radius of the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary.The buffer zone area will be carved out of government lands and 90 per cent of it falls under the reserve forests. The  Environment Conservation Act states that  buffer zone should be formed in ecologically sensitive areas and care should be taken not to disturb areas of  human habitation. Sridev and Girish said that people residing within 10 km radius of the sanctuary would  willingly move out. Those moving out, would be rehabilitated suitably.