Congress seeks revision of Kasturirangan report

‘Give gram panchayats Kannada version of the report’

Sachin Meega, vice-president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Kisan Cell, said on Tuesday the State government should urge the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment to revise or modify the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan Panel Report on Conservation of Western Ghats.

Implementation

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Meega said it was essential to see that the recommendations of the panel were implemented in such a manner that it did not create any problems for the farmers and workers living in the Western Ghats and its surroundings in the State.

‘Modify recommendations’

Of the 36 recommendations of the panel, only four will create problems for the people of the State.

“The State government should urge the Union government to revise or modify the recommendations of the panel’s report,” he said. In its 12th recommendation, the panel had said that there should no developmental activities within 10 kilometres of the eco-sensitive area. This recommendation should be given up.

Sand extraction

The fifth recommendation of the panel was a ban on the extraction of sand and jelly and stones. Such a ban will bring all developmental activities to a standstill. This should be withdrawn, he said.

The panel’s eighth recommendation had called for a ban on red category industries. Coffee pulping comes under this category.

This will affect a large number of coffee growers in Chikkamagaluru district. This recommendation should be amended to allow coffee pulping, he said.

Yet another recommendation had banned the use of chemical fertilizers in the agricultural fields.

This too should be rescinded as it was difficult to carry out agricultural operations without using these fertilizers, he said.

Recommendations

A large number of people don’t know the recommendations of the report. Hence, the government should get the entire report of the panel translated into Kannada and distribute it to the gram panchayats.

“The government should take the next step on this report only after getting the opinion of all the gram panchayats concerned,” Mr. Meega said. Congress leaders Sadashiva Kotian, Sadanada Shetty Shirva, Uday Yermal, Sudesh and Yellur Shashidhar Shetty were present at the event.