Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) doing research in Kudremukh National Park and the local people, who once joined hands in opposing mining activities here, no longer enjoy mutual trust, if recent incidents are to go by. The local residents feel that NGOs, including the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) founded by Ullas Karanth, have been interfering in their lives in the name of conserving wildlife. Wildlife conservationists, however, defend their project in the national park area. What led to the simmering discontent is an incident in April, when Janardana, Satish and Uday, residents of tribal settlements, were arrested on the charge of allegedly using copper sulphate to fish in the backwaters of Lakhya reservoir. The local people alleged that the tribals were arrested by the Forest Department because they were informed by NGO representatives. There were protests against NGOs. On April 24, the residents filed a complaint with the Kudremukh police, alleging that P.A. Biddappa, Sandeep Sahil, Papanna, and Krishna of the CWS misbehaved with tribal women. They alleged that the accused took photographs of the women collecting firewood without their permission and when they objected to it, they (the accused) pushed them down. The NGO refuted these allegations. Among those in our team, Papanna, a Jenu Kuruba, and Krishna, a Malekudiya, are tribals. They are local people involved in our research project. It was a false case. In fact, the local people assaulted our men, said P.M. Muthanna, Associate Director of CWS. The CWS has been doing tiger research in this area since 2008, along with the Forest Department. We are doing our research without harming anybody. Our people were assaulted when they were removing camera traps, said Mr. Muthanna. The activists leading the protesters maintained that the local people have many reasons to oppose the NGOs. They are unhappy with the conservationists’ approach to Kudremukh Township. We want development in the locality so that some economic activity takes place, to help the locals, said Suresh Bhat, secretary of Nellibeedu Samrakshana Samiti. They are not allowing any roadwork in the area, added Kalkuli Vittal Hegde, writer and activist. The NGO refuted the allegation that they were trying to push the tribals out. Asked if they had conducted awareness camps on the research project and the need for it, Mr. Muthanna said the local people were already aware of the need for research and did not require special camps
2016, The Hindu