NECF urges Centre, states to implement Gadgil report to save Western Ghats

Mangaluru: Keeping in mind the safety of future generations, National Environment Care Federation (NECF) has urged central and state governments to implement the recommendations of Madhav Gadgil Committee on Western Ghats.

“The 14-year-old report had warned against construction activities, indiscriminate quarrying , encroachment of forest land for building resorts and homestays, in Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) coming under Western Ghats,” NECF Secretary Shashidhar Shetty told mediapersons.

Both the state and Centre were not keen on implementing the Gadgil report when it was submitted and instead went ahead with measures aimed at diluting the proposals. It is the ripe time for the people to wake up and oppose all unscientific projects on Western Ghats.

Projects like ropeway, tunnels, widening of the roads in the areas coming under fragile Western Ghats will pose a threat to the future generation. To save the Western Ghats for the future generation, all the unscientific activities should be stopped and the Gadgil report should be implemented as it is, he said.

Stressing the need for Western Ghats Protection Force, he said “we do not have a wetland protection act. By bringing in amendments to the Land Reforms Act, the government has allowed non-agriculturists to purchase farmland. Eventually, it will lead to real estate business in the coming days, which in turn will impact the topography of the region and increase in landslides,” he felt.

Destruction of Shola forest

Destruction of Shola forest and increase in human interference in water catchment areas in the name of homestays, resorts have led to landslides in Mudigere, Sakleshpur, Belthangady. “If we fail to check human interference in the ecologically sensitive areas, landslides can not be checked,” he said. The destruction of Shola forest has affected the process of absorbing water during the monsoon.

The landslides have occurred in the areas where homestays and resorts have come up by encroaching the forest land. Unscientific hill cutting to widen the national highway resulted in landslides at Shiroor- Ankola.

Several proposed projects of the government that are in the pipeline in Western Ghats will result in landslides in the future. Madhav Gadgil had prepared the report after studying the ground reality. He had not asked for the eviction of forest dwellers. However, it is those who encroached on the forest who misled forest dwellers on Gadgil report, he alleged.

Forest fire is also one of the reasons for landslides wherein, grassland is lost. As a result, soil erosion takes place when it rains, resulting in landslides. “We do not have any forest fire control system,” he lamented.

Shetty said that it is unfortunate that instead of appointing environment experts to the Karnataka Wildlife Board, the government has preferred to appoint ministers’ and MLAs’ children to the board. Shetty demanded a compensation of Rs 5 crore to the victims of the Shiroor incident. This compensation should be given by the engineer and contractor, he said.

'Ban trekking'

Holla demanded a complete ban on trekking in Western Ghats. When a large number of visitors come, homestays and resorts mushroom to cater to their needs. Ethinabhuja peak receives 5,000 people in a single day, which will have an impact on the environment in the surrounding areas.