NTCA Directive Puts Karnataka Government in a Bind Over Bhadra Tiger Reserve
In a significant development, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has issued a directive that effectively halts the Karnataka government's efforts to revise the buffer zone around the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. This move comes amid rising demands from local legislators to shrink the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) and modify the notified buffer area, sparking a complex debate over conservation and development.
Political Pressure Meets Conservation Mandates
Elected representatives from Chikkamagaluru recently met with Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre during the budget session, renewing calls to alter the buffer zone by excluding human habitations and private land parcels. This push followed a previous success in persuading the state government to reduce the proposed ESZ from the default 10 kilometers to just 1 kilometer. If approved, Bhadra would have become one of the first tiger reserves in India to modify an already notified buffer zone.
However, the NTCA's directive, issued in January 2026, has put a stop to these plans. The authority clarified that the entire buffer surrounding Bhadra must be treated as part of the ESZ, with specific guidelines: "A radial cushion of minimum one kilometre should be kept from the critical tiger habitat wherever the buffer is disjunct or absent. Wherever the protected area forms part of the buffer, then a minimum of one kilometre cushion should be demarcated around the said buffer also."
Forest Department's Dilemma and Conservation Concerns
Forest department officials highlighted the irony in the situation. The original argument for reducing the ESZ from 10 km to 1 km was based on the presence of villages and concerns over development restrictions. Yet, the buffer area, notified in 2011, includes approximately 50-54 villages, making it challenging to justify similar relaxations now. An anonymous forest official noted, "If the government is still willing to pursue the matter, then Bhadra will be one of the first tiger reserves in South India to alter its notified buffer area."
Referring to the NTCA guidelines, the officer added that while the state government can consider revising the ESZ boundary in recommendations, it cannot modify the buffer as it will be deemed part of the ESZ, leaving no scope for further reduction.
Legal Hurdles and Allegations of Misuse
Conservation experts have warned that any attempt to alter the notified buffer would require clearance from higher authorities, such as the National Board for Wildlife and potentially the Supreme Court of India. They emphasized that buffer zones are designed to promote coexistence between humans and wildlife, making it unlikely that apex bodies would permit reductions merely to exclude select villages.
Wildlife activists have raised serious allegations, claiming that the push to revise the buffer is aimed at facilitating luxury resorts by politically connected individuals from Karnataka and neighbouring Telangana. Complaints have already been submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, adding a layer of controversy to the issue.
Current Status and Government Response
Currently, Bhadra Tiger Reserve features a core critical tiger habitat of 500 square kilometers, surrounded by a buffer of 571.8 square kilometers notified in 2011. In 2019, the state proposed an ESZ ranging from 3 km to 10 km around the buffer, covering several villages, but the proposal was returned by the Centre.
Defending the decision to reduce the ESZ, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre stated, "The proposed ESZ had places such as government offices, schools, hospitals, and bus stands affecting the daily life of the citizens. We have been reviewing these problems and are in the process of identifying alternative land with sufficient green cover to compensate for the same and submit a fresh proposal. But with regard to altering the buffer, I will hold a meeting with senior officials of the department and explore what the rules say."
This situation underscores the ongoing tension between conservation efforts and local development pressures, with the NTCA's directive serving as a critical checkpoint in safeguarding India's tiger reserves.
