Ramanath Rai slams central Government over Western Ghats eco-sensitivity draft

Ramanath Rai slams central Government over Western Ghats eco-sensitivity draft

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, August 4, 2024: On Saturday, August 3, former State Forest Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President B. Ramanath Rai criticized the Union government for reissuing a draft notification classifying parts of the Western Ghats in six states, including Karnataka, as ecologically sensitive areas. He stated that the government failed to issue a final notification with the consensus of the states.

Mr. Rai explained that the Central government first issued the draft notification in 2014 following reports by panels led by ecologist Madhav Gadgil and K. Kasturirangan. The current draft, reissued for the sixth time on July 31, came after natural calamities in Wayanad and Uttarakhand. All six states, including Karnataka, have submitted their objections, but the Centre has not addressed their concerns or built consensus for implementing the recommendations of the expert panels. He urged the Central government to take proactive steps to protect the Western Ghats’ ecology.

Mr. Rai also criticized the BJP for organizing a rally in Mysuru over an "inconsequential issue" related to site allotments by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to the wife of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, instead of addressing issues concerning the people. He argued that State BJP leaders, facing corruption allegations, have no moral right to protest against Mr. Siddaramaiah.

Additionally, MLC Ivan D’Souza commented that BJP activists should have targeted rallies at the homes of BJP MPs K. Sudhakar, Basavaraj Bommai, and Kota Srinivas Poojary, who are also facing corruption allegations. He accused the BJP of using the alleged misappropriation of funds from the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation and the MUDA site allotment issue to destabilize the Siddaramaiah government. Mr. D’Souza asserted that the Congress government would expose corrupt BJP leaders and bring them to justice.