BENGALURU: Coorg Wildlife Society has moved the Karnataka High Court against the proposed Mysuru-Kushalnagar railway line. Hearing a public interest litigation filed by Coorg Wildlife Society, represented by its president Col C P Muthanna, a division bench has sought response from the government advocate and adjourned the hearing to July 27.The petitioner contended that the said railway line is also interconnected to Thalassery-Mysuru Railway Line project which shall connect and interconnect Karnataka and Kerala at the cost of severe damage to flora and fauna of Kodagu district.
Referring it, the petitioner has urged the court to issue directives to authorities not to carry out any activity or venture into laying of railway projects on and off or on the surrounding areas of Kodagu. It has also requested the court to direct the Central government not to plan any kind of project in the name of building tourism between states at the cost of biodiversity and stay the survey and other related activities of these two railway projects.
The respondents made in the petition were the secretary, Ministry of Forests, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Railways, Chief Secretaries of Karnataka and Kerala and Principal Chief Conservators of Forests, Karnataka and Kerala.According to the petitioner, the Central goernment has already directed the Delhi Metro Corporation to conduct a study and submit a detailed report. It is only aimed at benefitting tourism and commercial activities between the two states.
The petitioner alleged that the entire railway project is a lobby controlled by the business and commercial tycoons of Kerala putting pressure on the Central government to give a green signal and start this project without taking into consideration the severe ecological damage it could cause in Kodagu.
Encroachment of forestland: HC seeks state’s response
Bengaluru:Acting on a PIL seeking directions to clear the alleged encroachment of Karnamgeri Reserve Forest in Madikeri city, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday sought response from the state government. Hearing the petition filed by Ravi Changappa, president of Cauvery Sene, a division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Krishna S Dixit asked the government advocate to get instructions from the authorities concerned.
The petitioner has made the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Department of Forest, Madikeri Urban Development Authority and former speaker K G Bopaiah and others as respondents in the case. According to the petition, the revenue authorities are issuing ‘Saguavali’ chits and RTC against law, resulting in the fragmented forest area. The petitioner claimed that khata of a house in the area in K G Bopaiah’s name.