Opposition Grows in Coastal Karnataka Over Kasturirangan's Eco-Sensitive Zones

Udupi: Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Kota Srinivas Poojary has assured residents of villages bordering forest areas not to worry about the Kasturirangan Committee report as the Karnataka government has decided to reject the draft notification of the Committee report that proposes declaring parts of the Western Ghats as an eco-sensitive area.

Chairing over a meeting held at the Dr. V.S. Acharya Hall in Manipal on the eco-sensitive area and the Kasturirangan report Poojary explained the challenges posed by the implementation of the report.

Villagers and elected representatives of Coastal and Malnad regions in Karnataka are strongly opposed to the implementation of Kasturirangan report as they feel it would affect the normal life of the people in the nearby areas.

“Residents near forest areas are already burdened by existing forest laws. There is a fear that if implemented, the Kasturirangan report would jeopardize basic infrastructure like electricity, roads, bridges, drinking water, and housing, severely impacting livelihoods. The state government has firmly decided against its implementation,” he said.

The central government has issued six notifications to declare parts of the Western Ghats as eco-sensitive zones (ESZ), but none have been enforced. Poojary urged officials to document objections raised by residents and communicate these to higher authorities.

“Under the ESZ regulations, a one-kilometer buffer zone is maintained around reserved forests and wildlife sanctuaries. Residents in these areas are required to obtain prior approval from the ESZ Monitoring Committee for basic facilities, which disrupts their daily lives,” he said. Poojary called for amendments to grant local authorities more discretion in providing approvals.

Deputy Commissioner Dr K Vidya Kumari reiterated the state’s rejection of the Kasturirangan report but clarified that prior approvals for development projects in existing ESZ areas are still mandatory.

Kundapur MLA A Kiran Kumar Kodgi emphasized the need for accurate mapping of the villages and survey numbers within buffer zones. He called for joint surveys by the Revenue and Forest Departments to demarcate boundaries clearly.

Byndoor MLA Gururaj Shetty Gantihole stressed the importance of understanding the socio-economic impact of such policies. “Authorities must highlight the difficulties faced by residents to the central government or the Supreme Court, which has mandated these regulations,” he said.