Bengaluru: Drones have become a popular sight in this day and age, as they provide greater flexibility and ease when it comes to shooting videos or taking photographs from a higher altitude. They have become a professional photographer’s best friend.
There are those that also fly them for recreational purposes. With advancements in technology, the prices of these drones have come down over the year, enabling a large number of people, with enough disposable income, to purchase them.
These recreational ‘drone fliers’ have been going visiting Hessarghatta in order to fly their remote controlled flying machine. This has been causing a lot of issues for the area’s avian population as it has led to the death of many birds.
The forest officials have warned that they will be taking action against those causing injuries or death of the birds or animals in the area as the biodiversity of the locality is getting affected as a result of deaths.
The last remaining grassland in Benagluru, this 300 acre area of Hessarghatta is the site for many migrating birds that come from Europe and Central Asia, including several species of raptors.
The drones have been the cause of death of many pariah kites and some other birds, and injury to grazing cows and wild dogs. People have been flying their drones in this area for the last 7 to 9 months despite several warnings.
A Prasanna Kumar, the Bengaluru (Rural) honorary Wildlife Warden, has said that the locals claim that every weekend, there are around 6 to 7 of these drone fliers in the morning hours. The villagers have also reported the deaths of birds as well as instances of the people using drones to chase away the raptors who are attracted to the colourful objects flying at lower altitudes.
After RC (remote-controlled) flying was stopped in Hoskote by the Forest Department early in 2016, the recreational drone operators began looking for other viable areas to pursue their sport, which is how they came across the area surrounding Hessarghatta Lake.
The officials have said that they have no issues with them flying their drones in the region, but will book cases against them in the event that they cause harm or death to the various local bird species and migratory bird species in the area, and action will be swift.
The Hasserghatta grasslands are the only remaining open grasslands in the Bengaluru region. Each winter, 60 to 70 birders can be seen visiting the area and recording the various species of birds in the locality.
The Hessarghatta lake bed area is actually off limits to the public and the officials have put up ‘no entry’ signs ans well as closed the gates. This however, has not hindered the drone operators from going into this area.
