Bengaluru: Congress MLC B K Hariprasad has called for a balance between conservation of the Western Ghats and protection of the livelihoods and land rights of farmers and forest dwellers affected by the proposed implementation of the Kasturirangan report.
Speaking during the special session of the Karnataka legislature, Hariprasad said the Western Ghats issue extends beyond Karnataka, involving several states from Gujarat to Kerala. He said conservation measures should take into account the ground realities and concerns of local communities.
Under the latest draft notification, 20,668 sq km across 10 Karnataka districts and 1,449 villages have been proposed for designation as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs). The districts include Belagavi, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Shivamogga and Udupi.
Hariprasad said satellite-based mapping used in the Kasturirangan exercise may not adequately capture ground realities. He called for clear demarcation of residential areas, agricultural and horticultural land, forests and village boundaries.
He said residents were concerned about possible implications for land values, access to bank loans, roads, infrastructure and local economic activities, including homestays.
Calls for Kerala-style physical survey
Hariprasad suggested constituting an expert panel to conduct a ground-level survey based on Kerala’s model and prepare a Karnataka-specific assessment for submission to the Centre.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has also said the state is open to conducting a physical survey before finalising its position on the report.
Hariprasad said the draft’s proposed restrictions primarily target activities such as mining, quarrying and certain industries, rather than imposing a blanket ban on agriculture and horticulture. The latest draft notification proposes restrictions on mining, quarrying and red-category industries in the ESA.
He said conservation measures should focus on genuinely sensitive ecological areas while safeguarding people’s livelihoods. If relocation becomes necessary in any area designated as ecologically sensitive, he called for proper rehabilitation, citing the long-standing rehabilitation concerns of people displaced by the Sharavathi project.