Bangalore :
Coffee planters in Karnataka’s Kodagu district are an apprehensive lot. They believe the acceptance of the Kasturirangan report to conserve Western Ghats will make them helplessly watch their disease-afflicted crop wither away for it bans the use of pesticides in their area.
They feel they may not be able to cut down trees on their plantation in times of distress as that too would be prohibited.
The very mention of Kasturirangan report sparks off angry reactions in Kodagu district. “One cannot force small-time agriculturists to convert to organic farming and not use pesticides – it must happen gradually and voluntarily. Implementation of any report should create a win-win situation for all,” says Col CP Muthanna, president of the Coorg Wildlife Society.
A cocktail of apprehensions and genuine fears has stirred up a massive resistance to Kasturirangan report along the Western Ghats. “Forests are the lifeline of Kodagu and a huge per centage of people are dependent on them. It is therefore important to initiate a dialogue with locals before taking far-reaching decisions,” says Air Marshal (Retd) Nanda Cariappa, a resident of Kodagu.
Some experts admit some of the fears are genuine. “People still dependent on forest produce are opposing the implementation. Quite rightfully so as all this while no one raised an issue each time they went to the forest, gathered berries etc and sold them off for a livelihood. But with this classification they will not be able to do so,” said environmentalist Suresh Heblikar.
Locals are knowledgeable and have a fair idea of the topography of the place. It would be unfair to remove them from the system altogether when they have been an inclusive partner of the ecosystem for centuries together, he said.
But experts say a “deliberate campaign of misinformation” has made the Kasturirangan committee report unimplementable. They allege people with vested interests are at work and misleading the locals.
“There is a common fear among people of losing their lands with 37% of Western Ghats earmarked to be notified as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). These directions have been issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and related Rules which does not empower the government to acquire any land. Therefore the question of people losing their legally owned lands located either in the identified villages or outside does not arise at all,” said Wildlife First trustee Praveen Bhargav.
Environmentalists even doubt the government’s commitment to implement it as it means existing policies will have to be withdrawn. “These reports are in the interest of the common man and in favour of ecology. According to scientific findings, hilly regions should have 66% forest cover but what remains in Western Ghats is a mere 10%, which is also under attack by vested interests,” said environmentalist Panduranga Hegde, who heralded the Appiko movement to protect trees in Western Ghats.
source://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Environment> Development Issues / by Saswati Mukherjee B, TNN / January 20th, 2014
