Reduce ESA extent to notified forests only: Shivamogga MP urges Karnataka
Shivamogga MP B.Y. Raghavendra has urged the Karnataka government to restrict the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) notification to already notified forest areas, asserting that not a single additional foot of land should be brought under its ambit. His remarks come in response to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's announcement of a special legislature session to discuss the contentious notification.
Speaking to reporters in Shivamogga on August 29, Raghavendra welcomed the Chief Minister's decision but stressed the need for a ground-level survey before the session. He asked the state government to direct district administrations to conduct joint inspections by revenue and forest officials to assess the actual situation on the ground.
Raghavendra also defended the Union government against allegations that it was responsible for the prolonged uncertainty over the ESA. He noted that the committees dealing with the notification were formed during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. "If the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union Government was anti-farmer, it would have cleared the notification in the first or the second draft itself," he said. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has issued the draft notification for the seventh time, indicating the complexity of the issue.
The MP emphasised the need to differentiate between natural forests and cultivated or cultural landscapes. He argued that plantations of arecanut, rubber, pepper and ginger must be excluded from the ESA before the notification is finalised. "A clear distinction should be drawn between natural landscapes and cultivated landscapes," he said.
Citing the Kerala model, Raghavendra pointed out that Kerala had reduced its ESA area by more than 3,000 sq. km. after a physical survey. He suggested that Karnataka could similarly lower the total extent from 20,000 sq. km. to 15,000 sq. km. He also called for keeping the buffer zone at zero, ensuring that villages around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are not adversely affected.
The ESA notification, issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, aims to protect ecologically fragile areas. However, farmers and local residents in the Western Ghats region have opposed it, fearing restrictions on agriculture and daily life. The Karnataka government's decision to hold a special session reflects the political and social sensitivity of the issue.
Legislator S.N. Channabasappa and others were present at the press conference.
