Amid the call for bandh on Tuesday in Sullia against the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan committee, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim has written to the Karnataka Biodiversity Board asking them to defer the notification of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the district in light of opposition.
The bandh has been called by Malenadu Jana Hitarakshana Vedike, Malenadu Janti Kriya Samiti and Raita Hitarakshana Vedike. Sullia MLA S. Angara will lead the protest to be held near the taluk headquarters. The Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other parties and organisations are backing the bandh. Subrahmanya Mutt seer Vidyaprasanna Tirtha Swami will also take part in the protest.
The protests are against recommendation of the Kasturirangan panel to declare 17 villages as ESAs in Sullia taluk. Protesters will take out a motorcycle rally and hold a protest meet before the taluk office.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ibrahim’s letter to the Karnataka Biodiversity Board on December 26 requests it to postpone the notification of ESAs in the district.
He said, in the letter, that there was opposition from 10 gram panchayats and several organisations to the recommendation of villages in the district as ESAs. Several representatives of non-governmental organisations and public representatives have also opposed the recommendations during the district-level interactive session held few days ago.
“As almost all the gram panchayats have opposed the notification of ESAs, the same may be deferred for time being in Dakshina Kannada district,” Mr. Ibrahim said in the letter.
