Kasturirangan Report is unscientific, state govt will not implement it: MLA Halappa

Sagar: MLA and chairperson of Mysore Sales International Limited (MSIL), H. Halappa has said that the Kasturirangan Committee Report on declaring the parts of Western Ghats as eco-sensitive zone would not be implemented.

Addressing the media on Sunday, he said, “We cannot accept the Kasturirangan Report, although we have regards and respect towards former ISRO chief Kasturirangan. The report is unscientific. It is drafted based on the images of green patches picked up by the satellite on the Western Ghats. No groundwork has been carried out”.

“Earlier, the Centre had decided to implement the report. After objections from the legislators and local leaders of the Malnad region, they stayed the implementation. Currently, another gazette notification has been issued. In the meeting held on July 18, under the leadership of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, legislators of the Malnad region, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, MP B Y Raghavendra, and Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, a collective decision on rejecting the report has been taken”, he added.

The legislator has said that the state government has already formed a representation to meet the Union Forest Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Monday (July 25) and submit a memorandum requesting not to implement the report.