BENGALURU: There is over-tourism in Kodagu. This is one of the reasons for the rise in man-animal conflicts. Annually, around 1.3 million tourists visit Kodagu (also called the Scotland of India). This is beyond what the region can hold.
It has also reached saturation in plantations, making it climatologically vulnerable. There is thus a need to introduce e-passes in the region to restrict tourism, restore 500 hectares of forest land, and promote agroforestry.
This was one of the suggestions listed in the Report on Assessing the Carrying Capacity of the Western Ghats in Karnataka – September 2025 (Revised), prepared by the Karnataka Western Ghats Conservation Taskforce (KSWGCTF), which was recently submitted to the Chief Minister.
The report also noted that the Uttara Kannada region has become highly vulnerable to landslides. It has recorded 439 incidents in the last 10 years due to illegal mining and ecotourism pressure. There is thus a need for a complete ban on mining in ecosensitive areas, the creation of checkposts in Dandeli, Ankola, and Karwar, and an early warning system for landslides.
The 123-page report, a copy of which is with TNIE, noted that there have been over 1,000 landslide events in the last 10 years, particularly in Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagaluru, leading to losses of around Rs 350 crore since 2014. It also pointed out an increase in the number of homestays and resorts in and around forests, which was one of the reasons for the rise in man-animal conflict. The other primary reason is the lack of coordination between district administrations, tourism, and forest departments.
The rapid expansion of roads, highways, tourism resorts, estate housing, and multiple hydropower projects in Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga was also cited as a cause of conflict.
The report highlighted rising trekking pressure in Mullayanagiri and Kudremukh, where 193 landslides were recorded in the last five years. It suggested traffic regulation in Shivamogga, particularly for pilgrimages in Madeveshwaramalai, and stressed the need to immediately address hydropower conflicts.
Mohammed Tabrez Alam Shariff, KSWGCTF Chairman, said that in the last three years no new permissions were given for the construction or operation of new homestays and resorts, yet a rise in them has been observed. This clearly shows violations that now need to be addressed.
To streamline and regulate tourism and construction activities in the Western Ghats, a letter is being sent to the state government to include KSWGCTF as part of the State Wildlife Board. It has been noted that many projects cleared by forest clearance committees and the wildlife board are later opposed by people. Thus, there is a need to involve all stakeholders when referring projects to the Union government and the National Board for Wildlife, Shariff said.
Sources in the state forest department admitted that many projects tabled before the Wildlife Board or forest clearance committees are divided into smaller projects to avoid clearance from the National Board for Wildlife or public scrutiny. This needs to be regulated. The carrying capacity report will help bring in regulations, particularly when clearing green power, electricity, and infrastructure projects, as they have ripple effects elsewhere.