CM: All-party delegation to convey K’taka views to govt on Kasturirangan report | India News

Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar has said the state will pass a resolution protecting farmers’ interests during the special session on the Kasturirangan report and take the state’s position to the Centre through an all-party delegation.“In the special session convened to discuss the K Kasturirangan committee report on conservation of the Western Ghats, an appropriate resolution will be passed without causing harm to farmers,” Shivakumar said during his visit to Sakleshpur.Shivakumar said the government had earlier rejected the report during Siddaramaiah’s tenure, but the state must now formulate its position before the deadline. “For the past two days, I have travelled through Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts and today I have come to Sakleshpur. There is serious concern among people in this region because of the Kasturirangan report. Our government had earlier rejected this report, but now we have to send our opinion to the Centre by September 27,” he said.The seventh draft declaring large swathes in the Western Ghats as an eco-sensitive area, based on the Kasturirangan report, was issued by the Union government on July 27, 2026, allowing 60 days to file objections.In Karnataka, 20,668 sq km of area, covering 33 taluks and 1,449 villages across 10 districts (Belagavi, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Udupi), falls under the ESA scope. This will adversely affect farmers’ livelihoods and future development.The special session, Shivakumar said, would allow the government to hear farmers’ demands, formulate the state’s response and discuss the drought situation. He said he was visiting affected areas before the issue is taken up in the legislature.“I consider it my duty to visit every affected taluk before discussing the matter in the legislature. Four districts have already been visited. Two more districts remain. The issue has been discussed with farmers, and they have openly expressed their views,” he said.Shivakumar said the government would take those views into account before finalising its position. He also announced that an all party delegation comprising legislators and MPs would meet the Prime Minister and Union ministers after the matter is discussed in the state legislature.“After discussing the Kasturirangan issue in the session and taking a decision, we will take an all party delegation comprising legislators and MPs to the Prime Minister and Union ministers and convey your views,” he said.At Sakleshpur, residents raised concerns over the effect of the report on farming and tourism. They said 30 villages across eight gram panchayats in the taluk fall under the report and sought a survey covering individual households and land parcels.“This is an unscientific report. The report will affect tourism development in this region. Sakleshpur is the taluk in Hassan district most affected. Thirty villages under eight gram panchayats in this taluk are covered by the report. Every household and parcel of land in every village should be surveyed,” a resident said according to the CM’s office.Residents also said people in the region were already dealing with restrictions arising from deemed forest, reserve forest, the Forest Protection Act and Section 4, apart from human and animal conflict.They said the report should not be implemented and urged the legislature to reject it through a resolution. “If this report is implemented amid all this, it will be a death warrant for farmers. It should not be implemented. The legislature should reject this report and pass a resolution,” they said.Shivakumar said farmers should not face harassment from forest officials and that the government would seek a solution within the legal framework. “Forest officials should not issue notices and harass farmers. I have instructed that people should not live in an atmosphere of fear. In the coming days, a solution will be provided within the legal framework,” he said.He also said the government would examine changes relating to forest rights. “Under the Forest Rights Act, there is a 25-year limit for tribal people and 75 years for others. In the coming days, a decision will be taken to prescribe a 25-year limit for everyone and a proposal will be sent to the Centre,” he said.The government would also prioritise applications concerning Akrama Sakrama, Bagair Hukum and forest rights, Shivakumar said. “Along with this, our government will give priority to disposing of Akrama Sakrama, Bagair Hukum and forest rights applications and providing solutions to your problems,” he said.Shivakumar also linked the government’s approach to its plans for tourism and employment in the region. He said the government was working on a tourism policy covering both the coastal and Malnad regions to create jobs and encourage investment.“In Mangaluru I formulated a tourism policy to create jobs for young people there and prevent migration. The same situation exists in Malnad, so along with the coast we are moving forward with a tourism policy for the Malnad region and encouraging investors,” he said.