GADAG : Environmentalists have heaved a sigh of relief after the proposal for mining at Kappatagudda in Gadag district has been deferred.
The Karnataka State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that met on October 7 has decided to defer 28 proposals submitted seeking permission for mining within 10 km of the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gadag district.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said that the matter was discussed in detail and a notice was issued to the unauthorised miners operating within 1 km of Kappattagudda directing them to stop mining. Many environmentalists had expressed apprehension when the board had called for a meeting to discuss the proposals. There is also a demand from several quarters to set up an ayurveda university in Kappatagudda, as the area is rich in flora with a good number of medicinal plants.
Kappatagudda is spread across Gadag, Mundargi, and Shirahatti taluks, and the hillock starts from Gadag Binkadakatti village and extends all the way up to Mundargi’s Singatalur village. Former DCF Yashpal Ksheersagar has collected information on 500 important medicinal herbs available on the hillock with their scientific names, details, and uses.
Environmentalist Chandrkant Chavan said, “It is a hillock that provides fresh air to the residents of Gadag, Mundargi, and Shirahatti. If the government allows mining, it will be disastrous. Peacock population has come down after a few set up their industries at the base of the hillock. It is our duty to protect the flora and fauna. The government should not give permission for mining.”