A.S Ponnanna, Legal Adviser of Hon’ble Chief Minister and MLA of Virajpet participated in the meeting of Legislative Council Members, MP’s who come under the belt of Western Ghats informed that according to the report of Kasturi Rangan, the central government has declared the Western Ghats as an ecologically sensitive area for the conservation of biodiversity.
A.S Ponnanna opined that due to the implementation of the Kasturi Rangan report, the farmers of the area who are farming are getting worried. Adding agricultural land, community lands of coffee plantations to ecologically sensitive area is not the right move. Farmers and coffee growers are suffering if Kasthuri Rangan’s report is implemented and said that even though Western Ghats must be protected first and added that Kasturi Rangan’s report is certainly un scientific in identifying Ecologically Sensitive Areas.
Speaking further he said that regarding private land which were adjacent to the forest area the problems have increased. Appropriate decisions should be taken by the government regarding identification of buffer zone. MLA also suggested that decisions should be taken on the pending issue regarding environmental protection given in the Kasturi Rangan report and informed that Forest ecosystem should be saved for the next younger generation.
