Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Dec 29: The state government has decided to reject the report tabled by Dr K Kasturirangan committee on the issue of conservation of Western Ghats. This report had created grave concerns in the minds of the people living in Malnad region.
The government feels that this is an unscientific report and therefore plans to convey its decision to the central government in a couple of days. It also has decided to file an affidavit in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) through the central government in this regard. If the NGT passes a contradictory order, the government will question the same through an appeal in the Supreme Court. This important decision was taken at the meeting of the cabinet sub-committee that was presided over by forest minister Anand Singh, on Monday December 27.
Western Ghats (file photo)
Minister Anand Singh, gave these details at a press conference he addressed jointly with minister R Ashok, after the said meeting. They said that if this report is implemented in Toto, many problems will surface and therefore it has been decided to reject it.
They said that at present, environmentally sensitive area limit has been prescribed at ten km from the borders of the reserve forests. They pointed out that within this limit, several gram panchayats, town panchayats and municipalities have been located and the above restriction will impact development. Therefore, the meeting discussed recommending one km from the forest border to be considered as ecologically sensitive area, but this has not yet been finalised, Ashok stated. This decision has provided temporary reprieve to 1,533 villages located near the forest areas in the state. If this report was implemented, the people would have to be evicted from these villages
Legislators from Malnad region had warned of bloodshed if the report is implemented as it is and they had urged the government to understand the seriousness and get the survey done afresh. The state government had assured not to evict the people and that basic infrastructure facility would be provided there.