Refusing to interfere with the row over Kappatagudda Reserve Forest area at this stage as the matter has not yet reached finality, the High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the Deputy Commissioner of Gadag to consider a representation given by two petitioners who opposed the move to declare the area as a ‘conservation reserve’, before sending his inputs to the Wildlife Board.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice Budihal R.B. passed the order while disposing of a public interest litigation petition, filed by Venkatesh Dasar and another person, both residents of Gadag.
Earlier, State Advocate-General Madhusoodan R. Naik opposed the petition while pointing out that the petitioners, who are representatives of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, had already submitted their representation wherein they had claimed that industrial projects would be affected, and their representation was considered by the authority concerned. On the allegation that there was no sufficient publicity on the public consultation held in January, the A-G pointed out that sufficient publicity was given for the consultation meeting and opinions were sought from gram panchayats, which had passed resolution demanding that the area be notified as a ‘conservation reserve’ in public interest.
However, the counsel for the petitioner pointed out that the government issued a notification for the consultation process but it had not mentioned the said area — Kappatagudda.
Interim order
With the disposal of the petition, the interim order passed by the Bench on February 22 restraining the State from issuing the final notification based on the decision taken during the consultation, stands vacated as the validity of the interim order was only for the period of the pendency of the petition.
