BJP leader oppose ESA notification
BJP leader Haratal Halappa has publicly opposed the draft notification to declare parts of the Western Ghats as an eco-sensitive area. He argues that the Kasturirangan Committee report is unscientific and would negatively impact the livelihoods of residents in 1,449 villages.
Why it matters
The conflict highlights the ongoing tension between environmental conservation efforts and the socio-economic concerns of local communities in ecologically fragile regions.
Former Minister and BJP leader Haratal Halappa has opposed the draft notification declaring parts of the Western Ghats, including villages on the foothills, as an eco-sensitive area.
Addressing a press conference in Shivamogga on Thursday, Mr. Halappa said the Centre had issued the draft notification for the seventh time, based on the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee on the Western Ghats, headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K. Kasturirangan. The draft notification seeks to declare 20,668 sq km of area in Karnataka, spanning 1,449 villages — including 447 in Shivamogga district — as eco-sensitive.
If the notification were finalised, he said, residents of the area would face many difficulties in their day-to-day lives.
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