<p>Karnataka Government today asserted that the Centre cannot take ''unilateral'' decisions on declaring Western Ghat forest range as heritage spots without the consent of the state.<br /><br />"We need not learn lessons from any one on this issue.We are also concerned about conserving the Western Ghats",State's Minister for Forest and Ecology C H Vijayashankar told reporters here, joining issue with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh who reportedly resented Karnataka's objection to accord World Heritage tag to 10 natural sites in the Western Ghats.<br /><br />He said he would visit all the ten destinations of the Western Ghats in the coming days to elicit views from elected represenatatives, locals and other experts.<br /><br />Vijayashankar, who recently said the state will not accept the heritage tag for Western Ghats, said "my views have been endorsed by several people. There is no opposition to it."<br />The minister said in the event of people expressing views against declaring Western Ghats as heritage zone then the Centre should respect the state's views.<br /><br />Seeking to defend his stand, he said there was an apprehension among people that accepting a declaration of Western Ghats as heritage spot would impede development works.</p>
<p>Karnataka Government today asserted that the Centre cannot take ''unilateral'' decisions on declaring Western Ghat forest range as heritage spots without the consent of the state.<br /><br />"We need not learn lessons from any one on this issue.We are also concerned about conserving the Western Ghats",State's Minister for Forest and Ecology C H Vijayashankar told reporters here, joining issue with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh who reportedly resented Karnataka's objection to accord World Heritage tag to 10 natural sites in the Western Ghats.<br /><br />He said he would visit all the ten destinations of the Western Ghats in the coming days to elicit views from elected represenatatives, locals and other experts.<br /><br />Vijayashankar, who recently said the state will not accept the heritage tag for Western Ghats, said "my views have been endorsed by several people. There is no opposition to it."<br />The minister said in the event of people expressing views against declaring Western Ghats as heritage zone then the Centre should respect the state's views.<br /><br />Seeking to defend his stand, he said there was an apprehension among people that accepting a declaration of Western Ghats as heritage spot would impede development works.</p>