Residents of many villages that fall in the ecologically sensitive area, as identified by the K. Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats, have decided to boycott the gram panchayat elections this month opposing the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
As the filing of nomination papers ended on Friday, nobody filed papers for 26 seats of Hettur, Hongadahalla, and Heggadde panchayats in Sakleshpur taluk.
Karnataka Growers’ Federation (KGF), an umbrella organisation for growers in Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts, has given a call to the people to boycott the elections. So far, people in 14 gram panchayats have responded to the call in Hassan and Chikkamagaluru, according to KGF.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests to notify the eco-sensitive area identified by the Kasturirangan report by the end of this month. The report has identified 20,668 sq.km, spread over 1,576 villages of 10 districts in Karnataka, as eco-sensitive. The residents of the villages are worried that if the final notification is issued, they will face many restrictions on farming and infrastructural development.
Representatives of KGF have held meetings with villagers and political party workers to ensure more panchayats boycott the elections. H.T. Mohan Kumar, president of KGF, told The Hindu, “We have given a call to the people to boycott the elections to exert pressure on the State and Union governments. Many have responded positively. Meanwhile, we have also met the Chief Minister, the Speaker, and senior officers of the State government, requesting them to file an affidavit before the NGT seeking more time to respond.”
Agitation planned
A committee to oppose the implementation of the report has been created in Chikkamagaluru district. It plans to hold an agitation in Chikkamagaluru town on Tuesday. In Khandya hobli of Chikkamagaluru taluk, no one has filed nomination papers for the GP elections. A team of people, committed to the boycott decision, have been camping throughout the day in front of the panchayat offices to ensure no one violates the boycott.
In Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan, the people of Hettur, Hebbasale, Heggadde have announced boycott of the election. “The people in the eco-sensitive area and those close to it will suffer if the report is implemented as it is. The farmers will not be allowed to use chemicals in farming and cement in constructions. Such restrictions will force people to move out of the area in the long run, though the report does not talk of evicting people,” said Prasad Rakshidi, a resident of Rakshidi in Sakleshpur taluk.
The issue came up for discussion at the recently concluded Legislative Assembly session as well. Legislators Sunil Kumar, Araga Jnanendra, M.P. Kumaraswamy and others urged the State government to follow the Kerala model to handle the issue. The Kasturirangan committee identified the sensitive area based on an aerial survey. The Kerala government did a ground survey and submitted an affidavit before the NGT, thereby reducing the extent of sensitive area. A similar exercise should be taken up in Karnataka, they said.
