Bengaluru: The state government on Wednesday decided to appeal to the Union government to withdraw the notification, declaring the Western Ghats as an eco-sensitive zone, and reject a report submitted by Dr K Kasturirangan on eco-sensitive zones.
Law minister T B Jayachandra told the media the Union government had issued the notification for the third time and had asked the state to submit its objections. The issue was discussed in legislature sessions, following which a meeting of people's representatives of 10 districts coming under the Western Ghats was convened. The legislators were unanimous in their opinion that many areas in the region were already as reserve area or wildlife reserves. This had affected development and the livelihood of people in the region. Therefore, enforcing restrictions would affect people adversely, he said.
In another significant decision, the state government officially dropped the controversial steel bridge project. A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting of the cabinet on Wednesday. The proposal, mooted by the previous BJP government, gathered momentum last year but the government faced wide spread protests as the project involved felling of scores of trees.
The cabinet also decided to set up a sub-committee to implement the Supreme Court's direction on Datta Peeta in Bababudangiri hills.
The case dates back to 2010, where a commission report on the controversial Datta Peeta was challenged in the Supreme Court. Even the Shah Khadri of the Peeta had filed an IA in the case.
The apex court directed the state government to consider objections from both parties and arrive at a decision. The court had granted 60 weeks time to come out with the solution, which would end on May 9. The cabinet sub-committee would meet and take a look at various objections, before taking a final decision, Mr Jayachandra added.
