Oomen Chandy, the Kerala chief minister was in Bengaluru yesterday, to meet with his Karnataka counterpart and request him to lift the ban at least partially, but after a patient hearing Karnataka on Wednesday diplomatically declined to accept Kerala’s appeal to lift or relax the night ban imposed on the grounds that the state cannot take an independent decision since the issue is pending before the Supreme Court.
Karnataka through its Chamarajanagar DC had imposed a night ban between 9pm and 6am on vehicles plying through Bandipur Tiger Reserve, connecting Karnataka and Kerala in June 2009. Subsequently though the Karnataka Government had withdrawn the order, under political pressure from Kerala, the Karnataka high court,in its order on March 9, 2010, stayed the decision in a public interest litigation filed by a lawyer, L Srinivasa Rao.
Siddaramaiah however said he would hold talks with Karnataka forest officials and other experts in the field and examine Kerala’s request for relaxation of ban in two months.
Chandy during his meeting with his Karnataka counterpart, apprised the latter, about the importance of goods movement and how economic activity in Kerala has been affected following the ban. “It has become a question of life and death for many students, employees and traders in Kerala,” he added
In the memorandum submitted to his counterpart, Chandy has sought relaxation on the ban by 2 hours, because it caused great hardship for passengers travelling by road between Karnataka and Kerala, as they had to wait at the borders the whole night.
“The frequent travellers especially the students and businessmen suffered a lot,” he told reporters.
Also, he said the rules states that only 16 vehicles can be allowed during night and he wanted that to be extended to 20. In the intrest of wildlife, he said they are ready to run goods vehicles at 30 km per hour speed and if not provide escort vehicles to all good and public transport vehicles.
He also wanted Karnataka to co-operate and help the state in lifting the restriction in the Supreme Court.
