'Ask central govt to halt implementation of Kasturirangan report'

Mangaluru: Former minister Ramanath Rai has called on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to stop blaming the Congress government regarding the implementation of the Kasturirangan report.

Addressing presspersons at the District Congress Office, Rai emphasized that the report’s implications extended beyond Karnataka, impacting ten ecologically sensitive states across the country.

The Kasturi Rangan report addresses critical ecological concerns and can be stopped by the central government. Rai urged the BJP-led government at the center to halt the implementation of the report, as it has the power to do so.

During his tenure as the Minister of Environment, the central government had repeatedly requested amendments to the draft notification of the report. Expert advice had been sought, and a letter was written expressing opposition to the report’s implementation due to concerns raised by the public during discussions on settlements.

Rai underscored that this was not solely a matter for one state to decide, emphasizing that the BJP has been in power both at the center and in the state in recent years, providing ample opportunities to annul the report if desired.

Drawing attention to the sentiments of the people, former Additional Chief Secretary C. Ravi Kumar had officially submitted a report rejecting the Kasturi Rangan report, citing the option for the central government to prevent its implementation if deemed necessary.

Mahila Congress district president Shalet Pinto, along with several other leaders, were present during the press conference to support Rai’s stance.