States » SouthPosted at: Sep 21 2026 8:46PM


Kasturirangan report could put livelihoods of 10 Karnataka districts at risk, says CM

Bengaluru, Sep 21 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday mounted a strong defence of the State's opposition to the Kasturirangan report, warning that its implementation could put the livelihoods of people in 10 Western Ghats districts at risk and create fear among farmers.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during the special session on the contentious recommendations, Shivakumar said Karnataka had to strike a balance between protecting the ecologically fragile Western Ghats and safeguarding the people who had lived and cultivated land in the region for generations.
“The proposal of unscientific measures has caused widespread anxiety regarding people’s livelihoods,” he said, pointing out that more than six rivers originate and flow through the Western Ghats.
The Chief Minister said he had personally travelled through the coastal and Malnad regions and met residents and farmers at Karkala, Tirthahalli, Sakleshpur and Balehonnur to hear their concerns before the government finalised its stand.
The Kasturirangan recommendations have identified 20,668 sq km of Karnataka's Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive, covering 1,449 villages.
Shivakumar said the consultations had produced a clear message from farmers and residents: reject the report and reconsider the manner in which ecologically sensitive areas were being identified.
“Farmers have sought rejection of the report and have demanded that a new committee be constituted. They have also urged that the Ecologically Sensitive Zone classification be scrapped and the Kerala model adopted,” he said.
A key concern raised by residents was the inclusion of agricultural land within the proposed boundaries. The Chief Minister said people were questioning why restrictions should extend to their cultivated and privately owned land when environmental protection measures could focus on forest areas.
“They simply want their properties and livelihoods to remain undisturbed,” he said.
With the Centre asking Karnataka to communicate its decision by September 27, the issue has acquired urgency during the special session.
Shivakumar said the government was seeking to build a consensus in the legislature before adopting a resolution opposing the recommendations and communicating Karnataka's position to the Centre.
Stakeholders have also suggested sending an all-party delegation to the Centre, submitting a memorandum and adopting resolutions in both Houses of the State legislature. Some have proposed seeking special status for the region under Article 371.
The government's challenge is to oppose the proposed restrictions without weakening its commitment to conservation of the Western Ghats, one of Karnataka's most environmentally sensitive regions.
Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy, in a 12-page statement, also reiterated that the government was committed to protecting the Western Ghats as well as the livelihoods of people living in the region.
The Kasturirangan issue is expected to remain a major flashpoint in the special session as Karnataka races against the September 27 deadline to convey its position to the Centre.
UNI BDN
Tags: #Kasturirangan report could put livelihoods of 10 Karnataka districts at risk# says CM
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