Kasturirangan report faces strong opposition in Kodagu

Coffee growers, elected representatives and others strongly opposed the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee report and urged the government not to implement them.

During a meeting held at the Fort Hall, here, on Friday, the people submitted their plea. As many as 600 objections were submitted before the visiting State-level Executive Committee — comprising Brijesh Kumar Dikshit and Vipin Singh — and Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari and Chief Conservator of Forests Jagmohan Sharma.
MLA K G Bopaiah said, the people of Kodagu need not be taught about conservation. “The people and elected representatives will not keep quiet if the report is forcefully imposed upon the people in the name of conservation,” he warned.

If coffee plantations, C and D lands and paisari lands are included under eco sensitive areas, people cannot survive, Bopaiah said.

MP Pratap Simha said, he has convinced Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar about the adverse effects of the implantation of the report. He said, “MLAs K G Bopaiah and Appacchu Ranjan will raise the issue in the Assembly, while I will oppose the report in the Parliament,” he said.

MLA M P Appacchu Ranjan, ZP President Jodumada Shareen Subbaiah, Congress party district unit president B T Pradeep, district JD(S) president V P Shashidhar, Small Growers Association president Cheranda Nanda Subbaiah and others expressed their opposition.

Report next week

Committee member Brijesh Kumar Deekshit said, the opinion of the people will be submitted in the form of a report to the government on Monday.

DC Anurag Tewari said, the objections of the people will be sent to the government as it is. The video clippings of the proceedings will also be sent to the government, he added.
DH News Service