Kasturirangan report on western ghats: Assembly rejects Centre’s 7th draft

The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday unanimously rejected the Centre’s latest proposal to declare 20,668 sq km of the Western Ghats an Ecologically Sensitive Area, asking the Union government to keep the notification on hold for a year while the state carries out physical surveys and addresses land and livelihood concerns.

The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday unanimously rejected the Centre’s latest proposal to declare 20,668 sq km of the Western Ghats an Ecologically Sensitive Area, asking the Union government to keep the notification on hold for a year while the state carries out physical surveys and addresses land and livelihood concerns.

India News

The resolution, moved by chief minister D K Shivakumar during a three day special session on the Kasturirangan report, opposed the seventh draft ESA notification issued by the Centre on July 27, 2026, in its present form. The proposed area covers 1,449 villages in 10 districts of Karnataka.

Shivakumar said the state had attempted to understand concerns of residents before taking its position, including through visits to Udupi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan districts. “The Western Ghats are a major natural asset of Karnataka and are vital to biodiversity and ecological balance. At the same time, the concerns of the people living in the region need to be addressed before the ESA notification is finalised,” he said.

The resolution said the proposed boundaries had been prepared using satellite data without a joint physical survey and without precise demarcation based on survey numbers.

“The inclusion of agricultural land, plantations, residential houses and public amenities along with forest areas would create problems relating to house construction, division of family properties and inheritance rights,” Shivakumar said.

The resolution said the draft also failed to adequately address pending issues involving Bagar Hukum claims, forest rights, deemed forests, land grants, appeals and cases before courts.

The Assembly also objected to the provision under which an entire village could be included in the ESA if one fifth of its area falls within forest limits. The resolution described the method as unscientific and said it had caused considerable discontent among residents.

Karnataka has asked Centre to restrict the ESA designation to notified forest areas and other actual forest land. Agricultural and horticultural land, plantations, human settlements and areas used for public activities should remain outside the proposed zone, the resolution said.

The state has also asked for existing issues concerning Bagar Hukum claims, forest rights, deemed forests, land grants, appeals and court cases to be taken into account before the final boundaries are determined.

The government plans to conduct physical measurements and identify forests, settlements, agricultural areas and ecologically sensitive zones separately on the basis of survey numbers.

A high level committee headed by a retired judge will oversee the exercise. Revenue and forest officials, representatives of farmers and industry, and forestry and environmental experts and scientists from academic institutions will be part of the panel. The committee will examine the deficiencies in the Kasturirangan report and recommend modifications.

The state will also constitute committees at the gram panchayat level, including elected representatives, to assist the state level panel with the exercise and provide local inputs.

Shivakumar said the government deliberately chose to bring the matter before the legislature rather than settle it only through an administrative decision. “The government should be the voice of the people. We must give value to what people say and to their feelings. That is why we organised a special session and invited a discussion,” he said.

The resolution seeks a one year extension from the Centre to complete the physical survey and submit the state’s findings.

It also asks the Union government to formulate guidelines for alternative livelihoods and financial assistance for farmers and workers who may be affected by restrictions resulting from the ESA declaration.

The state asked that Centre refrain from taking a final decision until Karnataka completes its exercise and submits its report. “After the state government submits its report, the Government of India should hold a detailed discussion with the state government on the issue and only thereafter take a final decision,” the resolution said.

The Assembly’s resolution therefore seeks to replace satellite based demarcation with a survey number level exercise before Karnataka’s portion of the Western Ghats is brought under the final ESA notification.

Karnataka will appoint a senior lawyer to present the state’s position before Supreme Court on the Centre’s notification concerning Kasturirangan report, Shivakumar said on Tuesday.

Responding to a question from Leader of Opposition R Ashoka on National Green Tribunal and implementation of Kasturirangan report, Shivakumar said the state would put forward its position before the SC. “Regarding the notification issued by the Centre in connection with the Kasturirangan report, a senior lawyer will be appointed to clearly present the state’s position before the Supreme Court,” he said.

He said that, according to the information available to him, the NGT had directed the Centre to take a decision on issuing the final notification in connection with the implementation of the Kasturirangan report.

Shivakumar said the state was not rejecting the recommendations made by the Kasturirangan committee on ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats.

“We are not disrespecting the recommendations made by the Kasturirangan committee regarding ecologically sensitive areas of Western Ghats. Instead, we are requesting they be scientifically revised keeping interests of our state in mind,” he said.