The regional office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in Bengaluru has rejected a proposal seeking diversion of 48.2 hectares of forest land for the Sarangapani Iron and Manganese Ore Mine project in Tumakuru district, Karnataka. The decision follows a detailed site inspection conducted on 23 and 25 September by S. Senthil Kumar, Deputy Director-General of Forests, Central Regional Office, Bengaluru. The inspection covered forest land located in Thirtharamapura Reserve Forest, spread across the villages of Gollarahalli, Hosahalli, Kodihalli, Tonalapura, and Lakmenahalli in Chikkanayakanahalli taluk. According to the inspection report, the proposal was rejected due to ambiguities over the legal status of the land, invalid environmental clearances, and the absence of approval from the National Board for Wildlife. The ministry also noted that commercial mining is prohibited within the deemed Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the Bukkapatna Wildlife Sanctuary. The inspection followed a complaint by wildlife conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni, who warned that the project was ecologically unsound, threatening wildlife habitats and disrupting an important elephant migratory route. He also highlighted hydrological risks, pointing out that the landscape acts as a vital watershed for several drought-prone villages and supports both local communities and biodiversity. The report observed that Chikkanayakanahalli taluk is a drought-prone region where the Thirtharampura Reserve Forest and Janneru Forest Block serve as crucial watershed zones. Any mining activity, it stated, would worsen existing water scarcity and degrade the fragile ecosystem. The inspection also found evidence of ecological recovery since mining operations ceased in 1999. Wildlife surveys conducted by the Tumakuru Forest Division recorded the presence of species such as sloth bear, leopard, hyena, Indian wolf, jackal, wild boar, four-horned antelope, and jungle cat, with multiple indirect sightings confirmed during the field visit. Data on human–wildlife conflicts from 2015–16 to 2025–26 revealed more than 380 incidents in the region, and the report warned that reopening mines would likely increase such conflicts. The ministry further noted that, in addition to the Sarangapani proposal, 18 other mining lease applications within the Thirtharampura Reserve Forest and Janneru Forest Block — covering nearly 989 hectares — are still pending clearance. The committee cautioned that approving even one project could cause irreversible ecological and socio-economic damage to nearby villages. Welcoming the decision, conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni said the ministry had carefully evaluated the social, ecological, and legal implications before rejecting the proposal. “At a time when most development projects are being approved despite environmental risks, this decision stands out as a rare and responsible step,” he added.