from Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Apr 9: The 'Save Western Ghat' campaigners have chalked out a manifesto  revolving around the conservation of  Sahyadri mountains, which are running across 1,600 kms and five states, for the candidates vying for votes in the constituencies surrounding these hill ranges.
 
A first-ever citizen’s manifesto on Western Ghats has been released by the Save Western Ghat Campaign to bring the critical issues to light affecting the mountain stretch along the west coast, that is “gateway to monsoons and hotspot of biodiversity.”
 
The manifesto has sought political commitment to protect the natural forests is critical to the water security of south India, especially the flows in rivers like Cauvery, Tungabhadra and Krishna. This will also help in attaining the power security for the region.
 
The campaigners include environmentalists from the five states and like-minded people who have been struggling to save the world’s biggest bio-diversity hotspot – the Western Ghats.
 
“A series of mega thermal power plants are being established in Konkan and along West Coast. This will lead to increased climatic changes causing changes in micro climate affecting the cultivation of famous 'Alphosno' mango,” reads the manifesto compiled after consulting 85 non-government and research organisations and 8000 people from five states.
 
The Western Ghat runs through  32 parliamentary constituencies in Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “The activists of Save Western Ghats campaign will campaign in these constituencies impressing upon major political parties as well as candidates to work towards meeting these demands,” say the environmentalists.
 
The manifesto penned by Save Western Ghat campaigners also said that the member of parliament or the central government wanting to rule the country should regenerate the forests by indigenous species rather than exotic species..
 
“Forest dwellers should not be resettled for establishing National Parks, instead community be given right to collect forest produce for livelihood security,” it reads
 
Citing the increasing dam building activity in the Western ghat, the campaigners have said that dam building across the rivers in Western Ghats needs to be stopped and a review of existing dams be done at the earliest.
 
“National Rural Employment Guarantee Act should be implemented specifically for ecological rehabilitation in Western Ghats and the hill ranges should be declared as 'GM-free’, as it being the center of biodiversity for numerous plants, crops, and wild products that provide food and ecological security. Introduction of GM will unleash dreadful consequences,” the manifesto reads. 
 
 The Save Western Ghat campaigners have said that they will meet the prospective candidates and get a letter-of-commitment form them assuring their support towards holistic policies to conserve the Western Ghats and to give voice to the voiceless Sahyadri Mountains.
 
“Once elected they would help to form a lobbying group called MPs Forum for Western Ghats in Lok Sabha and for  reforming the polices that impact the region,” they said.