Row over land in buffer zone of Bannerghatta park

People are claiming ownership of some plots

A row erupted over parcels of land in the buffer zone of the Bannerghatta National Park after the Bannerghatta Nature Conservation Trust alleged that people are laying claims over them. Bannerghatta police, with whom a complaint has been filed, said the Forest Department had acquired the land but the person in question had not surrendered his. “He says it was sanctioned from the Revenue Department claims it is his private land. The trust members say it is forest land. We have approached the forest and revenue departments to survey the land and submit a final report,” police said. In his complaint, Vishnu Narrain from the trust has said that the land, which is within 100 metres of the Bannerghatta National Park and is an integral part of the ‘Ragihalli Elephant Corridor’, has been nurtured by the trust for more than 15 years as a wildlife habitat.