Foundation seeks implementation of Kasturirangan report
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The organisation has sought the withdrawal of around 38 projects in the Western Ghats. | Photo Credit: File Photo
The Akka Foundation Trust, an advocacy group, has planned a ‘Chalo Bengaluru’ programme from Hubballi, seeking the implementation of the K. Kasturirangan Committee report for the protection of the Western Ghats, and is urging the government to take a series of measures to address climate change and environmental concerns.
Members will travel to Bengaluru and participate in an environmental satyagraha being held at Freedom Park on Monday under the leadership of environmentalist Avinash. They will collect signatures in support of implementing the Kasturirangan report and submit a memorandum to the government.
“We urge the government to declare a climate emergency and implement measures to tackle climate change. We also seek strict enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics and measures to ensure that such plastics are not readily available in the market. The government should encourage the use of cloth bags as an alternative,’’ office bearers said in a release.
At the same time, the organisation acknowledged concerns among people living in the Malnad region over the Kasturirangan report. It said farmers had been protesting against the report and highlighted problems faced by agricultural communities due to climate change, including diseases affecting arecanut, coffee, and pepper crops.
It also raised concerns regarding farmers living and cultivating land without proper title deeds because of forest-related laws, saying that the lack of ownership documents prevents them from accessing government benefits and bank loans. The organisation urged the government to amend forest-related laws to address the land-title issue and provide greater certainty to people living in the region.
The ‘Chalo Bengaluru’ programme, it said, is aimed at pressing for both environmental protection and measures addressing the concerns of communities dependent on the Western Ghats for their livelihood.
It has further demanded strict implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility system, under which manufacturers of chips, biscuits and other packaged food products should be made responsible for collecting and recycling the plastic waste generated from their products.
Among its major demands is the withdrawal of projects that, it said, could adversely affect the Western Ghats. These include the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project, the Bedti-Varada river-linking project, the Aghanashini-Vedavathi river-linking proposal, and land acquisition for the Hubballi-Ankola railway project. The organisation has sought the withdrawal of around 38 projects in the Western Ghats.
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