BANGALORE: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has agreed in principle to impose a blanket ban on mining activities in the entire Western Ghats region, Western Ghats Task Force chairman Ananth Hegde Asheesar told Express.
“For the first time, the task force has defined the scope, extent and reach of the Western Ghats, which hitherto was full of confusion and uncertainties. We have mapped the entire Western Ghats region - micro and macro - by identifying the villages, tribal hamlets and hoblis. With this, the state government will be able to decide where and how to prevent non-forest activities in the forests,” Asheesara explained.
Sahyadri summit
He said the chief minister also agreed to hold a Sahyadri summit where wildlife experts, environmentalists, bio-tech professionals and other field experts would hold a detailed discussion on ways and means to protect the region. “The dates are yet to be finalised in consultation with various NGOs and subject-experts,” Asheesar added.
The task force has also recommended to the chief minister to create a Western Ghats conservation fund to help the government and NGOs in case of emergencies like forest fires, flash floods or landslides. “Yeddyurappa has agreed to this proposal,” he said, adding, “Another one of our proposals for setting up of an integrated research station in any of the districts falling in Western Ghats region has also been accepted.” A delegation headed by Asheesara, and consisting of Dr Yellappa Reddy, Prof B M Kumaraswamy, Dr Vasudev, Dr Ganesh Atree, Dr T V Ramachandra of IISc and Dr Ramesh, called on Yeddyurappa and submitted to him a memorandum in this regard.