From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, May 21: Karnataka has strongly urged the Centre not to implement the high-level Working Group report Dr Kasturi Rangan on Western Ghats in its present form.

This demand was voiced by Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa during the video conference discussion with Union Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday.

Yediyurappa pointed out that Karnataka was opposed to the Kasturi Rangan panel’s recommendation of declaring the bulk of the Western Ghats region, covering the States of Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, has an ecologically sensitive area (ESA).

The 10-member Working Group headed by Dr K Kasturi Rangan had in its report recommended that most of the Western Ghats region should be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

The Working Group had proposed protecting 90 % of the Western Ghats region’s 'natural landscape' as ESA. The Western Ghats is a biological treasure trove that is endangered, and it needs to be “protected and regenerated, indeed celebrated for its enormous wealth of endemic species and natural beauty,’’ the report had said.

The Chief Minister apprised the Union Minister that Karnataka has held wide-ranging discussions on various recommendations of the Kasturi Rangan panel’s report by involving the people’s representatives of gram panchayats, taluk panchayats, zilla panchayats and other elected representatives at various levels.

The State Cabinet has also rejected the proposal for publication of the draft report in its present form and issue has also been widely discussed in the State Assembly, Yediyurappa said.

The Chief Minister sought to impress upon the Centre that the problems and situations of different States were different and it was not correct and proper to take a uniform decision covering all States. "The Centre must take into account the concerns and views of all States and the people, which are the real stakeholders,’’ he said.

The Union Environment Minister, according to an official communication from the State Government, had accepted the contention of the points raised by the State and has agreed to hold separate discussions on the problems and concerns of each of the States separately.

Karnataka’s Forest Minister Anand Singh, Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar, State Forest Department’s Principal Secretary Sandeep Dave as well as the Chief Ministers, ministers and officials from Maharashtra, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat participated in the video conference.