Facing the deep ditch dug near the Government Film and Television Institute to prevent city traffic and vehicles from entering, the view that meets the eye pales in comparison to previous photographs of the Hesarghatta grasslands.
But for the sudden, large expanse of open space, except for a patch inside the institute, there is none of the dreamy, tall grass often seen in old photographs. Instead, what greets you are old plants that have been unscientifically planted in the wrong landscape, and evidence of bonfires and beer parties in the many bottles and litter left behind.
At the time of our visit, a pre-wedding photography session was going on a short distance away and local residents say this is a common occurrence. A rabbit, hearing the voice of humans, runs away from its place to some rocks.
Film City to Biodiversity Hotspot
Before 2025, these grasslands were mainly in the news for being the ‘real estate’ choice for the Karnataka government to set up ambitious projects like film cities or theme parks, much to the dismay of environmentalists. Successive governments have failed to see it for what it really is: an important repository of biodiversity, a refuge for endangered wildlife species, a ‘carbon sink’.
Ramesh, a fisherman, is feeding fishes in a part of Hesarghatta lake. | Photo Credit: File Photo
It was not until 2003-04 that things started moving forward, recalls photographer and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who has been working on preserving the Arkavathi catchment for two decades. “After the drought, when Hesarghatta lake had completely dried up, a group of local people wanted to rejuvenate it,” he said. As the group began surveying the area, they discovered that the channel carrying rainwater runoff from Dasenahalli Khana was filled with silt.
“We decided to open the channel,” he said, recalling how the village people started digging the channel manually over the weekend. The water receded, and more volunteers began to join in – one carried the load of heavy machinery, and the MEG became involved in desilting.
“Around 2006-07, some groups were also involved in the conservation of Kumudvathi and Arkavathi basins,” he says. Then these groups came together to make some political efforts to revive the watershed areas.
The Government of Karnataka leased this land to Mysore Film Development Corporation (MFDC) in 1972 to build a film city. MFDC was later renamed Karnataka Film Development Corporation (KFDC), but it closed down. “The rights to this land were temporarily given to Kanteerava Studios, which used to rent out this area for Kannada film shoots. We had to clean up the mess created by it,” Mahesh said.
Much earlier, in 1942, this piece of land was sold by the then Maharaja of Mysore to the Animal Husbandry Department for ₹10,000.
In 2012, the Film City proposal resurfaced, prompting the Arkavathi and Kumudavathi River Rejuvenation Committee to file a PIL against the project in the Karnataka High Court. “The Advocate General said that status quo will be maintained till the government takes a decision on the status of the land. The government decided to give the land back to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services,” he said.
As early as January 2025, the Karnataka Cabinet approved the declaration of the Greater Hesarghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve (GHGCR), covering 5,678 acres of land. While the proposal was first mooted in 2013, declaring the area as a conservation reserve was postponed due to pressure from certain sections, including local bodies. But state wildlife board approval in October 2024 paved the way for a conservation reserve tag.
Finally, a conservation reserve
A government notification dated February 24 said the area is being declared as the “Greater Hessarghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve (GHGCR) for its ecological, faunal, floral and geomorphological importance, and for the purpose of protecting, promoting and developing the grasslands and wildlife therein or its environment, and to protect the important catchment area around Hesarghatta, which is one of the sources of water for the city of Bengaluru.” Is”.
It acknowledged grasslands as “unique ecosystems characterized by dry open areas where grasses form the dominant vegetation”, and how “grasslands are equally if not more important than any forest”.
“They maintain biodiversity and hold large amounts of atmospheric carbon. Conservation of grasslands helps in mitigating the effects of global warming and climate change caused by excess carbon dioxide. The said area not only harbors a variety of plants, animals, birds, reptiles and insects, but also becomes a haven for different types of biomass.” “The Hesarghatta lake bed and the grasslands in the surrounding catchment area are an important repository of biodiversity and are a refuge for endangered wildlife species like leopard, slender loris, jackal, Indian fox, smooth coated otter, wild boar, common mongoose, black-naped hare, Indian mole rat and Indian field mouse. Additionally, seven different species of snakes are seen in the Hesarghatta grasslands.”
The Hesarghatta landscape is a site for many winter migrants from Europe, Central Asia and the Himalayas, including several species of raptors. The notification said that among the migratory birds are the Greater Spotted Eagle and globally threatened species like Lesser Florican and Red-necked Falcon.
One year on…
Has anything changed on the ground after a year? Local residents are not excited.
Umesh, 53, who was born and brought up here and runs a makeshift tea stall outside the grassland, said a guard is posted for the more than 300 acres of grassland, and garbage dumping continues despite ditches being dug to prevent vehicular access.
Instead, the ditches have stopped local cattle herders.
Basavaraj, 42, of Dasenahalli village, said he had stopped taking his cows to the grasslands as they could not cross the ditches. “There is also a leopard problem here. So, I don’t want to take the risk,” he said.
HM Yashwant, 43, is an entomologist who grew up here. Pointing to two large trees in the distance, he said, “During school I was fond of bird watching. It was like landing at an airport for raptors and falcons. Apart from these two, there were no trees there.”
Mahesh said the ideal term for grasslands should be Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs). “Since getting the conservation tag, not much has changed for Hesaraghatta. It is not a national park or a reserve forest, hence, ownership of the land remains with the Animal Husbandry Department and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). However, the government has to form a management committee, which has not happened. The forest minister said during his recent visit, It was made clear that grazing, grazing and fishing rights would remain. Now, some boundary markers are being installed. So, it looks like the work has started.”
He said, “The grassland is a small part of 345 acres out of 5,000 acres. It will always be a porous area. So, a lot of garbage is being dumped. People keep going in with vehicles for photography, eating, drinking and littering. These are not local people, but visitors. In the grassland, overgrazing is a problem. It should be regulated like fishing in coastal areas.”
way forward
Sheshadri KS, ecologist and faculty member at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru, who was involved in making the proposal to declare the area a conservation reserve, said all grasslands in India are in degradation due to people’s ignorance and apathy. “They are seen as wasteland, and this needs to change. The Wasteland Atlas of India, for example, classifies many of the original grassland habitats as wasteland, and they are either under attack by plantation drives, or have been diverted to a different land use. Grasslands or community-owned pasture lands, such as Gomla land or Karab land, are subject to degradation and encroachment.”
Although grasslands do not look like forests, they contain immense biodiversity and store substantial amounts of carbon, he said, adding that the grasslands of Hesarghatta have been a source of bio-resources. “An insect called Neodesmatia sangwani was discovered in these grasslands, which has been used as a biological pest control agent in the US, and possibly saved golf turf and the beef industry. By losing grasslands, we will lose so many tangible and intangible benefits. Changing people’s attitudes cannot happen overnight, and it requires ongoing engagement and awareness,” he said.
Apart from bioresources, the grasslands of Hesarghatta are an important habitat for birds like harriers. “We have about four species, which migrate from Kazakhstan and parts of Central Asia. Recent research by my colleagues has shown that these birds are responsible for seed dispersal, and shape ecosystems. They feed mainly on birds such as larks, which eat grass seeds. Harriers eat these larks and regurgitate the indigestible parts at settlement sites. The researchers collected the pellets and used them for seeds. “They found an incredible diversity of seeds, and many of the seeds were viable. So, the simple act of roosting in an area is spreading the seeds and shaping the grassland ecosystem,” he said.
For the people of Bengaluru, the grasslands in and around the reserve are an important watershed. They can prevent the flow of water and soil during rains. And help recharge groundwater. He said people around the lake are benefiting from the abundant water and healthy local climate.
only the beginning
Seshadri says although the declaration of the conservation reserve has been a long-fought battle, it is only the beginning.
“Although the area is now officially protected, a lot of work remains to be done in terms of drafting a management plan and setting up a committee to get funding to ensure the protection of the area. The rules for managing conservation reserves should be consultative, and should include representatives of stakeholders. In the case of GHGCR, it includes representatives from the panchayat, animal husbandry department, research organizations and the forest department,” he said.
He also said that the first step is to form a committee and establish rules and regulations that clearly state that existing end users will not be excluded or harassed. “This was a primary fear behind the opposition to the reserve being declared. Then, the forest department would have to get funds and demarcate the conservation reserve. And put up boards in Kannada and English, clearly stating the list of activities allowed. And security would have to be ensured by deploying guards and watchmen for patrolling. There needs to be a check on uncontrolled cattle grazing. The grasslands would also have to be used as a place for recreational motorbiking. It is, and it needs to stop.”
Over the next few years, the GHGCR needs to be restored by removing introduced plants from the grasslands and replacing them with native grasses and herbs. This should be done in a phased manner to prevent any environmental shock caused by sudden removal of trees or change in habitat, he said.
Forest Minister Ishwar Khandre, during a recent visit to the reserve, had assured not only of measures to protect the area but also to develop it with fund allocation and CSR help.
Getting the conservation reserve tag was undoubtedly a victory for the Hesarghatta grasslands, but only half the battle is won. Since Bannerghatta National Park, the other protected area near Bengaluru to its south, is grappling with various threats, it remains to be seen whether the grass will be greener for the newly formed Greater Hesarghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve.
