All-Party Delegation to Meet PM Modi Over Kasturirangan Report, Says Shivakumar

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the state would send an all-party delegation of MLAs and MPs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers to convey farmers' concerns over the Kasturirangan report on ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats.

Shivakumar said the issue would first be discussed in the Karnataka Assembly, which begins a special session on Monday. The government would take a decision after considering suggestions from farmers, elected representatives and other stakeholders before approaching the Centre.The Centre has asked Karnataka to submit its response to the issue by September 27.

Speaking to residents in Sakleshpur, Shivakumar said the government had come to the people's doorstep to understand their concerns. He said Karnataka had earlier rejected the report during the tenure of former chief minister Siddaramaiah, while neighbouring states had subsequently introduced changes through various measures.The seventh draft notification, issued by the Union government on July 27, proposes declaring around 56,000 sq km across six Western Ghats states as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA).

In Karnataka, the proposed ESA covers 20,668 sq km across 33 taluks and 1,449 villages in 10 districts. Farmers and local representatives have expressed concern that implementation could affect agriculture, tourism, land use and livelihoods.

Shivakumar said forest officials should not intimidate farmers by issuing notices and stressed that people should not be forced to live in fear. The government would explore solutions within the legal framework, including possible changes concerning the Forest Rights Act.

Suggestions such as conducting physical surveys, strengthening gram sabhas and reviewing eco-sensitive zones and management plans will be considered during the Assembly discussions, he said.

Farmers and coffee growers in Sakleshpur urged the government to reject the report through an Assembly resolution. They also demanded physical surveys of every affected household and agricultural parcel, alleging that local communities had not been adequately consulted during the preparation of the report.