Want Conservation Reserve tag restored
Hundreds of people from villages in the Kappatagudda hill region, environmentalists, social activists and seers of various mutts in the region began a three-day ‘day and night’ dharna seeking restoration of ‘conservation reserve tag’ for the biodiversity rich Kappatagudda in Gadag on Monday.
While seer of Tontadarya Mutt Sri Siddhalinga Swami is leading the campaign along with Founder of Samaj Parivartana Samudaya S.R. Hiremath, several religious heads, social activists, students and politicians from different political parties including the ruling Congress party took part in the protest march and the dharna on the first day of the agitation.
Prior to beginning the dharna, Sri Siddhalinga Swami flagged off the protest march by participating in it from the Tontadarya Mutt premises. The huge protest march covered the thoroughfares of the city before reaching Gandhi Circle, the venue of the three-day agitation. The participants held placards and raised slogans proclaiming ‘Kappatagudda belonged to them’.
In the dharna under the aegis of ‘Kappatagudda Ulisi Horata Samiti’ at Gandhi Circle, Sri Siddhalinga Swami, Shivakumar Swami of Nandiveri Mutt, Sri Shanthalinga Swami of Bhaiaranatti, activists S.R. Patil, Ravi Krishna Reddy, former Minister and Congress leader S.S. Patil, former MLAs D.R. Patil and Shreeshailappa Bidarur and representatives of over 25 organisations took part.
Warning
Addressing the protestors Sri Siddhalinga Swami urged the State government to announce its decision before the conclusion of the ongoing legislature session. “If no announcement is made, then the government and the elected representatives would have to face the wrath of the people”, he warned.
Speaking to press persons S.R. Hiremath clarified that the agitation was being held under the constitutional framework and they did not believe that a decision would be taken within three days. “District-in-charge Minister H.K. Patil had said that lack of public hearing was a technical hurdle and now that too has been cleared. Now Mr. Patil should come out in public and give specific assurance on the issue”, he said.
Mr. Hiremath said that RTI applications had revealed that the mining permission had expired and the companies had applied for the same again. The government should not give them fresh permissions, he said clarifying that their agitation would continue on the principles of non-violence till concrete measures were taken to protect Kappatagudda.
