Benedict Fernandes, secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Association, announced on Saturday that the group will file a petition in the Supreme Court, or alternatively the National Green Tribunal, against Karnataka’s handling of the draft notification linked to the 2013 Kasturirangan report.
Fernandes said the state government has repeatedly dismissed seven draft notifications over the past 13 years, refusing to reach a compromise and allegedly postponing action to safeguard commercial interests.
The delay, he warned, comes as the Western Ghats region endures severe landslides and floods, underscoring the urgency of finalising the Eco‑Sensitive Area (ESA) status for roughly 56,825.7 square kilometres that span six states.
He appealed to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to ignore a joint legislative resolution passed by Karnataka that seeks to weaken or defer the ESA notification, and to reject the scientific objections raised by the state.
Present at the Mangaluru Press Club briefing were Charles D'Souza, president of the association, vice‑president Arathi Ashok and member Nihal, all of whom echoed the call for swift central intervention.
If the Supreme Court or NGT rules against the state, the association says it will monitor implementation to ensure the Western Ghats receive the protection envisioned in the Kasturirangan report.
The central ministry plans to designate the Western Ghats across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala as an ESA, a move intended to curb unchecked development and preserve biodiversity.
Environmentalists argue that Karnataka's reluctance not only contravenes national policy but also jeopardises livelihoods of forest‑dependent communities and threatens the ecological balance of the mountain range.
Image: varthabharati.in
📰 Source: Vartha Bharati DK