Geography & BiodiversityPriority2026-03-05

HC Orders Full Inclusion of Kappatagudda Sanctuary Area

Why focus: GS3 Biodiversity. Prime target for map-based 'Match-the-Following' for Karnataka wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests.

In News

What Happened

The Karnataka High Court directed the state government to issue a fresh notification including an excluded 55 square kilometres of the Kappatagudda reserve forest into the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gadag district. The court overturned a 2019 state notification that had declared only 244.15 sq. km as a sanctuary, ignoring the Karnataka State Wildlife Board's prior unanimous approval to protect the entire 300 sq. km area.

Why It Matters

This judgment reinforces the statutory authority of State Wildlife Boards under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, preventing state governments from unilaterally bowing to industrial lobbies (like mining and wind energy) by altering approved conservation boundaries. It also secures a crucial ecological hotspot in northern Karnataka, vital for rare medicinal plants and regional water security.

Background

History & Context

Kappatagudda, located in the Gadag district of Karnataka, is a unique dry-deciduous forest often termed the 'Western Ghats of North Karnataka' due to its rich biodiversity. Because the region contains gold reserves and high wind speeds, it has faced immense pressure from mining and wind energy lobbies. In 2015, the state proposed a conservation reserve but withdrew it in 2016 under industrial pressure. Following severe public protests, it was declared a Conservation Reserve in 2017. In 2019, the Karnataka State Wildlife Board (KSWB) unanimously recommended upgrading the entire 300 sq. km area to a Wildlife Sanctuary. However, the state government's final notification arbitrarily excluded 55 sq. km, prompting conservationists to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court.

What Changed

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BEFORE: Only 244.15 sq. km of Kappatagudda was legally protected as a Wildlife Sanctuary under the 2019 state notification. NOW: The entire 300 sq. km approved by the KSWB must be notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary.
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BEFORE: The state government exercised discretionary power to alter sanctuary boundaries proposed by the KSWB without explicit justification. NOW: The court established that the state cannot arbitrarily override or modify the unanimous recommendations of the statutory State Board for Wildlife.
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BEFORE: The excluded 55 sq. km area was highly vulnerable to commercial gold mining and large-scale wind power projects. NOW: The entire continuous forest tract gets absolute protection under the restrictive provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
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BEFORE: The boundaries of the sanctuary were fragmented, disrupting wildlife corridors and ecological continuity. NOW: The consolidation of boundaries ensures contiguous habitat protection for species like the Indian wolf, hyena, and leopard.
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BEFORE: Ambiguity existed regarding the state's unilateral power to issue final notifications under Section 26A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. NOW: The judgment sets a legal precedent that final notifications must strictly align with the intent and approval of the Wildlife Boards.

What Did NOT Change

The legal framework governing the creation of sanctuaries under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, remains intact. The process still requires the initial intention to be notified under Section 18, followed by the settlement of community rights by the Collector, and culminating in the final notification under Section 26A.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This event directly connects to Class 11 Geography (India Physical Environment) Chapter 5 'Natural Vegetation', which outlines the concept of Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, and Wildlife Sanctuaries as in-situ conservation strategies. The Kappatagudda issue exemplifies the real-world legal mechanisms required to establish these protected areas, specifically highlighting the tension between economic development (mining/wind energy) and ecological preservation in dry deciduous forest ecosystems.

Common Misconceptions

✗ State governments have absolute power to finalize or reduce wildlife sanctuary boundaries.

✓ Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, altering the boundaries of a sanctuary requires formal recommendations from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). During formation, states cannot arbitrarily contradict State Wildlife Board approvals without valid statutory procedures.

Because State Governments issue the final gazette notifications, it is often wrongly assumed that they hold absolute discretionary veto power over the final area.

✗ Kappatagudda is geographically a part of the Western Ghats ecosystem.

✓ Kappatagudda is an independent hill range in the arid Gadag district of northern Karnataka, featuring dry deciduous forests, scrublands, and grasslands, completely distinct from the tropical evergreen ecosystems of the Western Ghats.

It is colloquially referred to as the 'Western Ghats of North Karnataka' merely due to its rich biodiversity and medicinal plant wealth compared to the surrounding arid plains.

Practice Questions

Q1

How Many Correct

Consider the following statements regarding the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary: 1. Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary is renowned for its tropical evergreen forests and is located in the Western Ghats. 2. The Chief Minister of the state serves as the chairperson of the State Board for Wildlife. 3. Alteration of the boundaries of a legally notified Wildlife Sanctuary can only be made on the recommendation of the National Board for Wildlife.

Q2

Match the Following

Match List I (Protected Area) with List II (State): List I A. Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary B. Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary C. Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary D. Bor Wildlife Sanctuary List II 1. Maharashtra 2. Bihar 3. Karnataka 4. Rajasthan

Q3

Assertion & Reason

Assertion (A): The State Government cannot unilaterally alter the boundaries of an already notified Wildlife Sanctuary without central oversight. Reason (R): Section 26A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 states that no alteration of boundaries of a sanctuary shall be made except on the recommendation of the National Board for Wildlife. Select the correct answer:

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