Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Sep 30: The Halli Hole village development protection committee submitted a petition to the Udupi District Commissioner, urging the exclusion of Halli Hole village from the sensitive environmental areas and the residential area based on a manual survey, as outlined in the Kasturirangan report.

Speaking at a press conference after submitting the petition, committee president Manjunath Shetty stated, “The Kasturirangan report is scientifically flawed, as the survey was conducted solely through satellite imagery. Agricultural lands have also been marked as forested areas. Halli Hole village has been identified as an environmentally sensitive area, which is causing severe disruption to the livelihoods of the villagers. This has led to confusion among the residents. Therefore, the government and officials should take action and provide clear information regarding the implementation of the report and its feasibility.”

Committee member and former gram panchayat president Pradeep Kotari added, “We are not against the Kasturirangan report. We are committed to environmental and forest conservation; however, agricultural lands have also been classified as forest land in the report. This satellite-based survey is scientifically incorrect. Even though the government claims to reject the report, development is being hindered under the pretext of the Kasturirangan report. Such issues are being faced in 35 villages in Udupi district. Despite no official notification regarding the implementation of the report, officials are not allowing land conversions and other activities. We are committed to preserving forests, but we have also relied on agriculture for survival in these lands for hundreds of years.”

Present at the press conference were committee members Prabhakar Nayak, Jayaram Poojari, Suresh Poojari, Sujata Bhovi, Netravati Nayak, Beans K Joseph, Krishna Nayak, Raghavendra Poojari, and Dinesh Nayak.