Newskarnataka – Udupi
Udupi: The ‘Pashchimaghatta Samrakshana Horata Samithi’ held a press meet here on Wednesday May 14 to discuss the issues with regards to the Kasturirangan report.
Condemning the Kasturirangan report the Samithi asserted that the MoEF, has given 6 months of time to the public and a decision needs to be taken at the earliest.
“The Kasturirangan report sought to balance the two concerns of development and environment protection, however it has been uplifting development and is least bothered about the environment”, they said.
On the other hand, he said the Samithi says it upholds the environmental regulation regime proposed by the Western Ghats Ecology Experts Panel’s Gadgil report,
The Kasturirangan report seeks to bring just 37% of the Western Ghats under the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) zones down from the 64% suggested by the Gadgil report, it said.
In support of the Samithi, Somashekar who is an independent candidate from the DK constituency and has been fighting against the Neravathi Diversion project likewise addressed the press meet.
Somashekar alleged that the State government has been using the Kasturirangan report to fool the innocent people of the locality.
“The Kasturirangan report may be convenient for the Kerala Government but it will disrupt the natural inhabitants as well as the environment of the Western Ghat, thus it is not a correct initiative for the Karnataka government.
However, he informed that there is a book named “Pashchima Gattagala Kere” that gives details about the resources of the Ghat, and people must be notified and support the Gadgil report.
Speaking with regards to the development in the State, Somashekar said that the government says that mining helps in the growth of the State economically, but it does not adhere to the various hazardous effects of mining.
He further clarified that for more than 25,000 mining projects, 10 lakh acres of land are used. The pollution because of fluoride and the dangerous arsenic which mixes in the water works like a slow poison and are the most hazardous to the people, he added.
Lastly he warned that if the Gadgil report is not implemented the Samithi will hold a State wide protest.
