Following a fresh notification issued by the Union government on February 27 on creating an Ecological Sensitive Area (ESA) in the Western Ghats, the demand for outright rejection of the proposal has escalated in the district.
According to the report submitted by the committee headed by K. Kasturirangan on conservation of Western Ghats, 492 human habitats in the district fall under ESA.
During the field verification and public hearing conducted by the State Government to file its objections over the report, the elected representatives and the residents of the notified villages had registered their strong opposition against declaration of ESA.
However, in the draft notification issued in September 2015 and February 27, 470 human habitats in the district are proposed to come under ESA.
B.R. Jayanth, president, Sagar Taluk Bagair Hukum Committee and ex-member of Zilla Panchayat has said the ESA status would keep these villages out of bounds of development activities. The upgradation of civic amenities in these villages, including works like construction of roads, drawing electricity, and telephone lines would also be barred. The recommendations of the committee is against the interests of the people of the region, he said.
The human habitats in Avinahalli, Karur, and Barangi hoblis were included in the Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary that came into existence in 1976 without taking the consent of the local people.
After the declaration of the sanctuary, the officials of the Forest Department are not allowing execution of development works in these villages. A similar situation will arise if the 470 human habitats are classified as ESA, he said.
T.N. Srinivas, president, Shivamogga District Congress Committee, said restrictions would be imposed on lifting sand from river bank and collecting minor forest produces after the villages are classified as ESA.
A protest would be staged in the city on March 15, under the aegis of the Zilla Sahakara Raitha Horata Vedike, demanding both the Union and State governments not to accept the K. Kasturirangan Committee Report, he said.
