Kasturirangan Report Threatens Livelihoods in 10 Karnataka Districts, Says CM Shivakumar
· India · The Hindu, Hindustan Times
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told the Legislative Assembly on Monday that implementing the Kasturirangan Committee report could endanger livelihoods across 10 districts. The report designates 20,668 sq km and 1,449 villages in the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive. Shivakumar said his recent visits to Karkala, Tirthahalli, Sakleshpur, and Balehonnur revealed widespread fear among farmers. Residents demanded the report be rejected, the eco-sensitive zone classification scrapped, and the Kerala model adopted instead. They questioned why agricultural land was included when buffer zones should cover only forest areas. Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy issued a 12-page statement affirming the government's commitment to protecting both the Western Ghats and people's livelihoods.
Why it matters
Over a thousand villages and millions of farmers in Karnataka's Western Ghats face potential restrictions on land use and agriculture if the Kasturirangan recommendations are enforced without changes.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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