BJP Urges Karnataka to Conduct Kerala-Style Survey Before Kasturirangan Report Stand

Opposition BJP members in the Karnataka legislature on Monday pressed the state government to carry out a physical survey on the lines of Kerala to establish ground realities before finalising its position on implementing the Kasturirangan Committee report on the Western Ghats.

Speaking during an Assembly debate on the report's implications for livelihoods in the region, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok proposed that the government set up a panel of lawyers specialising in environment and forest matters to argue Karnataka's case before the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court. He said the BJP would participate in a delegation led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to meet the Union government and seek safeguards for farmers and residents of the Western Ghats.

The Kasturirangan Committee recommended notifying roughly 37% of the Western Ghats — close to 60,000 sq. km spread over six states — as an Ecologically Sensitive Area. Karnataka has resisted implementing the recommendations, citing their potential impact on farmers and residents.

Mr. Ashok called for a balance between environmental protection and people's livelihoods and cautioned against politicising the matter. He noted that the Western Ghats support millions of people and are rich in flora and fauna.

Tracing the issue's history, he said the erstwhile UPA government had set up the Madhav Gadgil Committee to study the ecological concerns of the Western Ghats. Protests against its recommendations led to the formation of the Kasturirangan Committee. The Gadgil report was submitted in August 2011 and the Kasturirangan report in April 2013.

Mr. Ashok said the Centre's latest draft notification followed proceedings before the NGT, arguing that the matter should be pursued through legal and administrative channels rather than political confrontation. He referred to the Goa Foundation's legal efforts seeking implementation of the recommendations and noted that the Centre had issued successive draft notifications. A new committee headed by Sanjay Kumar has been constituted, with a term running until 2027, he said.

BJP member B.Y. Vijayendra suggested that the government immediately form committees on the Kerala model to physically verify all 1,476 villages that would be affected, and hold special meetings in each affected village panchayat. He also proposed a task force to resolve the dispute between the Revenue and Forest departments over land ownership.

In the Legislative Council, BJP member C.T. Ravi urged the state to adopt a middle path instead of rejecting the report outright. He said considerable confusion surrounds the recommendations and that the government must clarify its position, asking what it would do if the Supreme Court intervened in the event of a blanket rejection. He also sought clarity on compensation for farmers shifting to organic farming, called for a green package, and said a 2013 GIS map cannot be the basis for implementing the report now. He suggested opening a Western Ghats grievance cell to address concerns.