Cabinet approves Greater Hessarghatta Grasslands conservation reserve

The State Cabinet on Thursday approved the declaration of Greater Hessarghatta Grasslands conservation reserve near Bengaluru, while it deferred decision on Mugali-Apsarkonda marine sanctuary in Uttara Kannada district.

The Greater Hessarghatta Grasslands conservation reserve, a long pending demand of the greens, will comprise a pristine grassland area near Yelahanka that is now threatened by rapid urbanisation and uncontrolled movement of people.

The reserve will comprise 5,678 acres. While the proposal was first mooted in 2013, the declaration of the area as a conservation reserve had been deferred owing to local pressure, and several local bodies had opposed the move. The victory for the greens had come after it received the nod to declare it as a conservation reserve from State Board for Wildlife in October 2024.

The Hessarghatta Grasslands reserve comprises three waterbodies, grassland and green cover that is home to a variety of flora and fauna. The region is home to 133 species of birds, leopards, foxes, wolves, and slender loris, among others.