BENGALURU: In a move that has sent shockwaves, the Yediyurappa government is making all out efforts to denotify the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gadag district. With the Baldota Group of Companies applying for permission for mining gold in the pristine hill forests, efforts are on to open up the new protected area for mining. In the wake of recent developments, local people, environmentalists, seers and students of Gadag district are readying themselves for protests to retain the wildlife sanctuary tag of Kappatagudda.
In October last year, the company filed an online application seeking clearance from the state forest department for mining gold. Even after the hillock was notified as a wildlife sanctuary on May 16 last year, the mining company has been working overtime to ‘convince’ the government to allow gold mining, sources said. According to wildlife activists, backroom developments in the last five months show that the government is in favour of mining.
A farmer from Doni village in Mundargi taluk filed an FIR citing atrocities by three forest officials last month. Added to this, some people from outside came to celebrate Kappata Utsav and called for withdrawal of the ‘sanctuary tag’. Interestingly, former forests minister C C Patil recently said the sanctuary tag had to be discussed with the Chief Minister. Ron MLA Kalakappa Bandi has spoken in favour of withdrawing the wildlife sanctuary tag.
Activists said Shivakumar Swamiji of Nandiveri was sent away from his mutt located on the Kappata hillock. The seer had taken part in the earlier movement to save Kappatagudda, along with the late Thontadarya Swamiji. Currently, the mutt is run by a group of people from Doni village who have submitted a memorandum seeking cancellation of the notification.
Spread over 244 square kilometers, the protected area is a treasure trove of unique flora and fauna including rarest of rare medicinal plants. Till now, there has been no move to identify its buffer zones or even make its blueprint or management plans. The ongoing developments and political statements have created confusion in the minds of Gadag people who had struggled for decades for the protection of Kappatagudda. Now, they have vowed to fight against any denotification moves.
Environment activists Jayaprakash Balaganur and Abhishek Navalagund of Gadag said there is no clarity whether Kappatagudda will continue as a wildlife sanctuary. Some high profile people are lobbying for mining and this is nothing new. In the event of Kappatagudda being opened up for mining, they are ready for a long drawn protest and this region should not become another Ballari, they said.
Raju Khanappanavar, a social activist said, “We should save Kappatagudda at any cost. Greens and seers of different mutts are discussing the tag while the ball is in the Chief Minister’s court. However, the people of Gadag are ready to come out for this cause in thousands to save the hillock from the greed of mining companies.”
Meanwhile, Gadag forest officials said some people have been demanding removal of the wildlife sanctuary tag and the forest minister would discuss the issue with the chief minister. In fact, vigil has been stepped up to check any encroachments. However, some people have filed an FIR against forest officials. This issue has been taken up with the SP who is looking into the case, they said.