The ‘Save Kappatagudda’ campaign, to urge the State government not to drop the plans to declare Kappatagudda hill ranges in Gadag district a wildlife sanctuary, was launched here on Friday.
Environmental activists, religious leaders, farmers, academics, students, wildlife experts, residents of villages surrounding Kappatagudda and others, led by the former chairman of the Western Ghats Task Force Anant Hegde Ashisar and Nandiveri Math seer Sri Shivakumara Swami, conducted a meeting near the Deputy Commissioner’s office here and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah through Deputy Commissioner N.S. Prasanna Kumar.
Mr. Ashisar said the government had dropped declaring Kappatagudda a wildlife sanctuary citing the livelihood of the poor. However, the wildlife sanctuary status for the region would not affect the livelihood of the people as there was no proposal either to vacate village residents or ban farming activities. It will only prevent mining activities. If it is not declared a wildlife sanctuary, it will provide scope for the exploitation of the mineral deposits and harm the ecology, he explained.
The village residents said their lives would be devastated if mining was allowed and demanded steps to preserve and conserve Kappatagudda.
Mr. Kumar said he was aware of the importance of the location from an ecological point of view. He said he would appraise the higher authorities on the people’s concerns.
Mr. Ashisar said the seer of Gadag Tontadarya Math, Siddhalinga Swami, who led the agitation against setting up the POSCO steel plant, and Annadaneshwara Mahashivayogi Math seer, Abhinava Annadaneshwara Swami, have extended support to the ‘Save Kappatagudda’ campaign.
