Kerala: SC proposal intensifies protests over traffic ban

The court’s suggestion for a complete ban on traffic on the forest stretch of NH 766, which is the lifeline of Wayanad district, has triggered an indefinite relay fast at Sulthan Bathery town in Wayanad, where Congress, BJP and CPM supporters have shared the protest venue that is thronged by hundreds every day. On Monday, farmers joined in with a long march to Karnataka border, demanding that the ban be lifted.

Kerala Transport Minister and NCP leader A K Saseendran said the state government wants the ban to be lifted. “We want that the night traffic be restored with some regulations. The Union government has rejected our proposal for elevated highway through the tiger reserve. The SC suggestion for closing down the highway would only aggravate the situation. People of two states are deprived of their right to mobility. In the country, no other highway passing through forest is closed for traffic in such a manner. Why the trouble in Kerala alone,” he said.

BJP MLA C S Niranjan Kumar, who represents neighbouring Gundlupet in Karnataka, extended support to the agitation and addressed the protest in Bathery.

Congress legislator I C Balakrishnan, who represents Sulthan Bathery, said all political parties, traders, religious organisations and youth outfits have come together on the issue. “It is a matter of life and death for Wayanad. The life and development of Wayanad have already been hit by the night traffic ban… We don’t have alternative routes for this highway. Its closure means death knell for Wayanad,” he said, adding that the Supreme Court will hear the matter on October 14.

On Sunday, Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi, tweeted, “I stand in solidarity with the youth on an indefinite hunger strike since September 25th protesting against the daily 9 hour traffic ban on NH-766 that has caused immense hardship to lakhs of people in Kerala and Karnataka.”

D Rajkumar, managing trustee of Mysuru-based Wildlife Conservation Foundation, which is among the petitioners in Supreme Court, said the highway’s closure would help wildlife. “The previous Congress government in Karnataka supported the ban, which is a must to ensure safety of animals. Wild animals move to and fro between Bandipur reserve and the adjacent Wayanad wildlife sanctuary. Traffic along the highway has increased manifold over the years. At night, we have noticed that all types of animals move very close to the road. If the highway is opened again for traffic during the night, animals would be exposed to danger,” Rajkumar said.

The traffic ban at night was first imposed by the Chamarajanagar district administration in Karnataka in 2009. It was also slapped along the Bandipur-Mudumalai forest stretch of the Mysuru-Ooty road.

The ban was upheld by the Karnataka High Court and later by the Supreme Court. Acting on PILs, the apex court on August 7 ordered that the ban would continue and asked the Centre to come up with a permanent solutions to avoid traffic through the tiger reserve, giving the government a month to submit suggestions.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve, spread over 1,400 sq km, was established in 1973 as part of Project Tiger and declared a core critical tiger habitat in 2007.