The United Conservation Movement (UCM) has termed the opposition to the draft notification of the Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats by politicians and ministers in the State government as one with malafide intentions and said it goes against the interest of protecting the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats. The UCM has accused the politicians of giving false narration about the ESA and thereby misleading people living in the area.
“The State government’s machinery is tirelessly working to spread false propaganda. This has been the sixth such attempt in foiling the attempt made to finalise the eco-sensitive areas. People living in the eco-sensitive areas are not going to lose their property rights. Misinformation is being spread to create a sense of fear among them by the politicians,” said Joseph Hoover, president of UCM and former member of State Wildlife Board.
He further said, “There is no prohibition for ongoing agricultural and horticultural activities. People living in the identified area can construct and repair their houses, vehicular movements not barred, running of hospitals and health care centers have no impact. However, activities such as mining, new thermal power plants, highly polluting red category industries, building and construction of above 20,000 sqm, area development projects above 50 hectares and built-up area above 1.5 lakh sq.m. are prohibited.”
A UCM release states that in Karnataka, only 33% of the total villages listed in taluks located in Western Ghats were designated as ESA villages. The UCM has demanded the translation of ESA draft notification into vernacular languages such as Kannada, Malayalam, Konkani and other languages for the consumption of local people.
They have also demanded that special status should be accorded to natives of Western Ghats on the lines of North Eastern states, the Karnataka Land Reforms Act should be amended prohibiting outsiders from owning land in these areas, measures should be taken recycle and reuse waters in the towns located in the Western Ghat section to avoid discharge of polluted water into rivers and other streams. The UCM has also opposed the proposed widening of highways in Kodagu and building of new rail lines in the eco-sensitive areas.
