The Karnataka Legislature’s three-day special session began on September 21 to discuss the Centre’s draft notification based on the Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats conservation and the severe drought affecting the state. The Assembly and Legislative Council are scheduled to debate the issues until September 23.
The state government is expected to move a resolution opposing implementation of the notification, which identifies 20,668 square kilometres in Karnataka’s Western Ghats region as an ecologically sensitive area. According to the report carried by Prajavani, residents of 1,449 villages fear that the proposed restrictions could affect their livelihoods and create uncertainty over farming, settlements and local economic activity.
The ruling Congress and Opposition parties have already expressed strong reservations about the notification. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government would stand by public opinion and was considering taking an all-party delegation to New Delhi to present the state’s position to the Centre.
Speaking in Sakleshpur, Shivakumar said Karnataka must convey its view on the Kasturirangan report to the Union government by September 27. He said the government would first consider the views of residents, farmers and people living around forest areas before reaching a decision through discussion in the special session. He also said the government would examine the impact of the report on local communities, farmers and areas affected by human-elephant conflict.
Residents and farmer organisations in Sakleshpur have demanded that the report be rejected. They described it as harmful to farmers and tourism and sought surveys of individual houses and agricultural holdings in the affected villages. Representatives also alleged that the committee had relied on satellite surveys without meeting people living in the region. The source report said eight gram panchayat areas and 30 villages in Sakleshpur taluk would fall within the proposed coverage.
Drought relief will form the second major agenda of the special session. Karnataka has declared 124 taluks drought-affected, while crop losses have been estimated at more than ₹18,000 crore. The drought assessment is continuing, and the government may add more taluks to the affected list during the session.
Members are expected to raise crop losses and shortages of drinking water and fodder for people and livestock. The government may also discuss the quantum of compensation to be sought from the Centre under National Disaster Response Fund norms and whether an all-party delegation should travel to Delhi to press for drought assistance.
The Opposition is preparing to question the government over drinking water and electricity shortages, alleged disparities in drought declarations, pension-related problems and other relief measures. Congress members are expected to raise the issue of what they describe as a delayed response from the Centre to Karnataka’s demand for drought compensation.
The special session follows disruption during the monsoon session in July and August, when Opposition protests over allegations of misuse of funds in the Valmiki Development Corporation prevented wider legislative discussion. The government has said that the current session will focus only on the drought and Western Ghats issues, with no other matters listed for debate.
The immediate milestones are the Legislature’s discussions through September 23 and Karnataka’s deadline to communicate its position on the Kasturirangan notification to the Centre by September 27.
