Biodiversity board steps in to save Honnavar’s Ramatirtha

The Karnataka Biodiversity Board will soon take up the protection of Ramatirtha, an ecologically sensitive and religious tourism site in Uttara Kannada’s Honnavar which is facing threat of increasing construction activities. The board has also decided to intervene to prevent the “disappearance” of Coorg orange.

Board chairman Ravi Kalappa said the Ramatirtha issue was proposed by Anant Hegade Ashisar, the past president of the Board. “Besides being ecologically important, Ramatirtha is a site of historical and religious importance. Concern had been raised about the destruction of the natural environment in the area due to the increasing spread of concrete structures. The Board has decided to declare it a biodiversity hotspot,” he said.

Ashisar told DH that a six-month-long campaign has been held to protect Ramatirtha. “The people of Honnavar and several organisations had joined hands and worked with experts and officials to make this happen. The archaeology department deputy director has visited the site and directed the district administration to take up measures to protect it,” he
said.

The Coorg Orange received GI tag back in 2006 for the distinct taste but Kalappa said the fruit grown in Kodagu and parts of Chikkamagaluru districts, has seen a decline in cultivation and production. He said he has proposed to collect seeds from the farmers to grow 2 lakh saplings which will be distributed.

During the board meeting, the principal secretary of the government suggested that the Board should first check with the organisations like the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research or other research centres. It was decided to get the relevant information before proceeding further, he said.

The Board has decided to set up herbal parks in Kodagu district to protect and conserve the medicinal plants facing threats due to overexploitation. As per the proposal placed before the Board, several medicinal plants in the IUCN red list were found in Kodagu district and there was a need to protect them by setting up parks.

Kalappa said the Board has decided to come up with a report to decide on the site of the park and the project cost.