Kappatagudda declared reserve forest

The State government has declared Kappatagudda in Gadag district as a wildlife sanctuary and protected forest. The deputy secretary to the Environment and Forest department issued the notification to this effect on December 19.

Accordingly, Kappatagudda, which sprawls over 17,872 hectares will come under the purview of the protected forest range. There will be no revenue lands in the Kappatagudda forest range henceforth and no village in the vicinity will come under the protected forest range.

The Kappatagudda hill ranges are home to wildlife diversity specific to north Karnataka. Moreover, it is also an ecologically sensitive area, according to the government notification.

The notification says that it had been issued under the Wildlife Protection Act to prevent destruction of forest in the hill ranges.The encroachment of forest land for agricultural purposes is completely banned.

However, the tag of protected forests will not affect the livelihood or agricultural activities of the local people. No one will be evicted from the forest land, mining activities will not be allowed in the hill ranges, the order said.