GADAG: Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti urged CM Siddaramaiah to reject all 28 mining proposals at Kappatagudda. CM Siddaramaiah had postponed mining proposals in a meeting recently.
Now, Basavaraj Horatti wrote a letter to CM and urged him to take a strict step and cancel all mining proposals. This week Tontadarya seer, social activists and environmentalists also submitted memorandum to CM through DC and requested to cancel mining proposals.
The letter says that many social activists, justices and environmentalists in Gadag and surrounding places have been demanding that mining should not take place in Kappatagudda. However, entrepreneurs have not given up their efforts for mining. In this regard, 28 proposals have come before the government to start mining.
In the letter to CM, Chairman Basavaraj Horatti said that it is a welcome decision that CM Siddaramaiah postponed the proposals to start mining within 10 km from Kappattagudda, which is declared as a wildlife sanctuary. This has brought some relief.
But all these proposals should be rejected and an order should be issued, that no mining or any other industry will be allowed to open in this part. It is regrettable that only a few proposals have been put forward, and the people of Karnataka and the environmental activists have become suspicious and have no faith in the government.
The CM should be straight forward and be clear and cancel all proposals and give a clear order for the conservation of Kappattagudda by taking a bold step in saving Kappatagudda which is the only hillock of this region. The letter also said that CM Siddaramaiah will earn special love and respect from the people of North Karnataka after taking a bold step.
The government has always claimed that Kappatagudda is a sensitive zone, and therefore a clear order should be given to stop any mining in that area. Merely blurting out proposals will create anxiety and doubts among the masses. All this needs to be stopped. Kappatagudda has a rich biodiversity and is a valuable asset of the country.