Kasturirangan Report: Karnataka Rejects Centre’s Western Ghats Plan Again

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said the state government strongly condemned the Centre's "anti-people" notification seeking to implement the Kasturirangan Report. He made it clear that the report will not be implemented under any circumstances.

"I wish to make it clear to the people of Karnataka that there has been no change in our stand that the report must not be implemented under any circumstances," Parameshwara, who also serves as Minister for Revenue and Sports said, in a statement.

According to him, the notification issued by the Union Government declaring 1,449 villages across 10 districts in the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) has caused serious concern among lakhs of families in the State.

"Keeping the interests of the people living in Malnad and the Western Ghats regions in mind, we have decided to discuss the Centre's decision and explore solutions. We have also decided to convene a one-day special session of the Legislature for this purpose."

Parameshwara noted that for centuries, the people living in Karnataka's Western Ghats have built their lives by adopting a balanced way of living in harmony with nature and respecting the environment around them.

"This close relationship between people and nature is what has sustained the vitality of the Western Ghats even today. In such circumstances, attempting to displace people suddenly in the name of environmental protection is an anti-life and inhumane approach," he stated.

The Deputy Chief Minister said if the central government genuinely cared about protecting the environment, it must listen to the grievances of the people who have lived in the villages of the Western Ghats for generations.

It must also hold necessary consultations with the state government and arrive at a consensus-based decision acceptable to all stakeholders, he said.

"We certainly cannot accept such a unilateral decision taken without taking anyone into confidence," Parameshwara said.

He said that so far, Karnataka has rejected the notifications issued by the union government seeking implementation of the report six times, and has also clearly communicated its position.

"Despite this, the Centre's repeated attempts to impose its stand on the people of Karnataka without listening our concerns are contrary to the principles of federalism," he said.

Parameshwara recalled that on July 31, 2024, the Union Government took a unilateral decision and issued a draft notification seeking implementation of the Kasturirangan Report.

Subsequently, at the Cabinet meeting held on September 26, 2024, under the chairmanship of then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Government of Karnataka passed a resolution opposing the Centre's notification and communicated the ground realities to the Union Government, he said.

"Now, once again, the Union Government has embarked on an unjust course of action that directly affects the lives and livelihoods of the people of Karnataka," he said, adding that this is an issue that goes beyond party ideologies and political differences.

He said that he firmly believes that there can be no ideology greater than the lives and livelihoods of our people.

"Therefore, I am confident that leaders of the opposition will also support the decision we take in the House to prevent the implementation of this report," he said.

He also expressed hope that Karnataka's Members of Parliament will put pressure on the union government and persuade it to reconsider and change its position.

"People living in the Western Ghats region need not be anxious under any circumstances. Your government stands with you. As a government, we will sincerely make every possible effort within our means to prevent the implementation of the Kasturirangan Report," he added.