Tumakuru's Environment & Heritage Issues

This is an unedited version of the story that was published in two parts* in the Deccan Herald, Bangalore, in Aug-Sep 2014. A view of Devarayanadurga forests ©Ameen Ahmed (All rights reserved) Located a stone’s throw distance from Tumkur city towards east atop one of the many hills of the metamorphic Closepet granite chain that runs, often breaking in between, from Hospet in north Karnataka to Yellandur near Chamarajanagar town in south is the picturesque Devarayanadurga village. It is a place which gives a sense of joy to varied people. To a Hindu pilgrim it is abode of the many gods well-known of which is Lord Narasimhaswamy. To a history buff, it is home to structures like the Devarayanadurga fort which is eye witness to the happenings here for the last few centuries. For a meditator, the ambience of the place at a height of almost 4,000 feet above sea level is perfect to spend some peaceful moments away from the noisy and polluted cities. Devarayanadurga village was the seat...

This story was published in the Deccan Herald ('Spectrum' supplement, Bangalore) on 7 October 2014 titled ' Shikar tales of Tumkur '* --- One of the tigers shot by British hunter Arthur J. O. Pollock. He narrates interesting tales of his shikar in Devarayanadurga's jungles Source:   'Sporting days in Southern India' , Arthur J. O. Pollock, 1894 In the aftermath of any victory on the battlefield the prime task of an occupying force is to settle all pressing issues of the administration of the occupied territory to smoothly achieve their aims of occupation. On 15 Dec 1799, seven months after vanquishing the Mysore army on the battle field,  the  Governor of Seringapatam and Mysore Arthur Wellesley, who was a Lieutenant-colonel in the coalition of the winning native and European armies, thought it very important to address the ‘issue’ of tigers patrolling the vicinity of modern day Chitradurga city. In a letter from Srirangapatna to Lt. Col. Close ...

Dear Nature lovers, Tumkur's forests, wildlife and nature lovers have a reason to cheer thanks to the Honourable Lokayukta of Karnataka. We have scored a small victory against the illegal widening of road in Chinnaga area inside Devarayanadurga state forest boundaries. The Honourable Lokayukta of Karnataka has issued orders disposing our complaint filed in October 2007 (Case no: COMPT/ LOK/ BD/112/2007) regarding these matters.  Below is a brief summary of the orders: a) Order to DC, Tumkur District: To provide details of Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), ZP in whose period the road was illegally widened. b) Order to RFO, Tumkur Range: To file chargesheet against above AEE as well as contractors responsible for illegal widening of the road.  c) Order to the PCCF, Karnataka: To look into the illegal activities taking place inside Devarayanadurga state forest and other forests across Tumkur district and submit a report to the H'ble Lokayukta within one month. ...

Yellowthroated Bulbul: A new home to secure the future of this exclusively 'Indian' bulbul. Pic: Clement Francis ----------Quote--------- Saving the bulbul's home Amit S Upadhye TNN Bangalore: In 1906, when the British government notified a 42.27-sqkm forest patch on the hills along east Tumkur district as Devarayanadurga state forest, it left out 6 sqkm abutting it. Over a hundred years later, the patch is now getting its due, with conservationists formulating a proposal to declare it a yellow-throated bulbul conservation reserve. The area is a nesting ground for these winged beauties, apart from being home to sloth bears and leopards. On World Forestry Day recently, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, members of the Wildlife Aware Nature Club (WANC), Tumkur, and forest department sleuths began a two-day survey of the patch, which is categorized as southern thorny scrub forest. The forest department will formulate the proposal based on the study re...

The above picture is of the forests in revenue land besides Devarayanadurga village adjoining Devarayanadurga State Forest in Tumkur Taluk. Background: Devarayanadurga State Forest is about 42 sq. km large. There are many revenue lands adjoining the boundaries of this state forest that have forests in them. Though unprotected, rare wildlife like panthers, sloth bears and Yellowthroated Bulbuls thrive in them and they are the source of many streams and water courses.  According to the H'ble Supreme Court's judgement in the Godavaraman Thirumalpad vs Union of India, any Government land that has tree cover is a 'deemed forest'. Nature lovers of Tumakuru want the Government of Karnataka to declare these 'revenue' forests as Reserve Forest using its powers under section 4 of Karnataka Forest Act (1963). Please read the below release on this issue. Press Release The Tumkauru Division of Karnataka Forest Department had stated in its reply to an applicatio...

Dear WANCers, Please find below the responses recieved by Ameen's querries filed with the DCF under the RTI in Aug 07. Some of the responses are very interesting. It has been replied that only 11 dead Jalari trees have been removed from the whole of Tumkur Division since 1997, while it is also replied that 12 Jalari trees have been removed from Devarayanadurga alone during the same period. Also it has been replied that there has been no Eucalyptus removal from the entire Tumkur Division from 1997 to 2003. But details have been provided for the eucalyptus removed for 1997-98 and 2000-2001. Are you confused? Read on.... Regards, Ameen Replies to information asked by Shri.Ameen Ahamed, Ghouse Buildings, Horpet Main Road, Tumkur Sl No. Information asked Reply 1. How many tree-felling cases have been booked since 1997 till date in the above forests? A) Devarayanadurga 32 B) Panditanahalli 02 C) R.D Betta 03 2. How many of these cases have been proved...

Dear Nature lovers, Nature lovers Mallik (Mallikarjun) and Ameen (Ameen Ahmed) have filed 2 applications each under the Right to Information Act (2005), seeking information on forests of Tumkur. Many of these questions refer to Devarayanadurga State Forest, in tune with our latest efforts to save it from total destruction. We are awaiting the answers to these questions. I. 25th August 2007: Application no: 1 filed by Ameen Request to provide following information with reference to Devarayanadurga, Panditanahalli and Ramadevara Betta state forests in Tumkur Territorial Range 1) How many tree-felling cases have been booked since 1997 till date in th above forests? 2) How many of these cases have been proved in the court? 3) How many forest offence cases including illegal quarrying, illegal sand lifting and encroachment cases have been booked since 1997 till date in the above forests? 4) How many of these cases have been proved in the court? 5) How many dead trees have bee...

I. Introduction to Devarayanadurga State Forest (DDSF): Devarayanadurga state forest was the first state forest to be declared in Karnataka (in 1907). It has been enjoying some sort of legal protection by the Government since as early as 1853. II. Vegetation/ Flora of Devarayanadurga forests: It is about 42.27 Sq km large and is a patch of mainly Dry Deciduous forest inter-spread with large patches of scrub and a few degraded moist deciduous forests in its valleys. The forest is degraded towards periphery. For a forest which is just about 6 km from Tumkur city, it is remarkably well preserved and wild. Both the Forest Department and the locals of Tumkur have special attachment towards this forest. It is important to note that there are no villages inside the forest here and there are many chunks of hilly forests adjoining Devarayana Durga state forest (DDSF) roughly about 20 sq. km, which although unprotected have a fairly good tree cover like the one at Ranthambore Nation...

Road widening inside Devarayana Durga state forest is taking place without any concern for the trees and the natural environment. On June 21, three WANCers- Ameen Ahmed, Mallikarjun and Guru Prasad observed and noted the following: 1). The road from 5th mile stone (8th km stone) to Durgadahalli cross beyond Namadachelume, which is currently about 10 - 12 feet wide, is being widened to about 35 - 40 feet i.e. till the cattle prevention trenches on either side of the road that were dug during M.N.Narayanaswamy DCF's period. 2) A JCB has been used to widen this entire 6 km stretch. 3) Almost all the scrub forest trees and small trees have been uprooted/felled along this stretch for this purpose. On this page are a couple of these pictures. 4) All the big and mature trees that could not be removed by the JCB have been marked by machets ( "macchu" as we call in Kannada) / sharp instruments. These big trees are intended to be removed for the road widening process. We hav...

The area around Chinnagaradevara Betta is one of the most beautiful in the whole of Devarayana Durga state forest. In addition, this area is probably the least disturbed of all the areas of this reserve forest. WANCer Ameen Ahmed who first visited this patch of forest in 1990 and WANCer Guru Prasad who has been frequenting this patch since mid-90s, fondly remember this area and often compare the vegetation to that of Bandipur and Mudumalai sanctuaries' undulating terrains. A small foot path / track used to cut through the forest and connect the villages of Swandenahalli and Durgadahalli, a distance of 8 kilometres. Vehicles though, still have to take a circutous route for more than 15 kilometres to reach the other side of the forest. A couple of kilometres off the track between Swandenahalli and Durgadahalli lies a temple dedicated to lord Rangaswamy, popularly known as Chinnaga Rangaswamy temple. Devotees from Swandenahalli and nearby villages visit this temple within ...