Instead of strategising to conserve these fragile ecosystems, they have joined hands with the destructive forces.
The Government of Karnataka has announced the formation of two cabinet committees to address the issues arising out of the Kastruirangan Committee to be implemented to conserve the Western Ghats.
The committee will tour Malenadu, the Western Ghats (WG) region, eliciting people’s views and submit its findings. Following the footsteps of Kerala, the government in Karnataka is evolving a political strategy to reduce the ecologically sensitive area (ESA) to dilute statutes that aims towards reducing the phase of destruction.
In recent weeks there were widespread protests in numerous regions of Malenadu, in which hundreds of people took to streets demanding the withdrawal of Kastruirangan Report. Elected representative at local levels as well as the MLAs and MPs from the region have emphatically opposed the move to implement this report. They are apprehensive that local people will be adversely affected and their rights will be severely curtailed, even to cultivate plantation crops.
Is there any basis behind this apprehension? Does this report suggest such drastic measures to conserve the natural resources? Ironically people are expressing their opinion without even reading the reports. From the Ministers to elected representatives, no one has read the report, but they are giving their opinion based on the rumours and not the fact. In order to clear the confusion, the government should have translated both the reports providing factual information and what is being suggested to conserve the area.
Obviously, the events indicate that the governments and political parties are not keen on translation of these reports, putting facts before the people. They were keen to create more confusion so that they could exploit the situation and reap political dividends. The lobby of vested interests, especially timber, mining, real estate, and tourism created the fear psychosis among the people spreading rumors about the adverse impact. Fuelled by political rivalry, it became a potent tool to mobilise the people. In this backdrop, the opposition in Kerala forced the government to set up a cabinet sub committee to study the impact of the report.
Eventually, the state government forced the Centre to reduce the area under ecologically sensitive area, further diluting the mandate. This political bargain is the model followed in Karnataka. Using the same method, it is aiming to pressurise the Central government and reduce the ecologically sensitive area. Forest Minister Ramanath Rai has already indicated: “We are seeking to reduce the villages that come under ESA form 1500 to 800”. Even before starting the work of the cabinet committee, he has given the verdict!
Why are these elected governments in all the six states opposed to the reports? Are WG reports it anti people? Will it curtail the rights of local inhabitants? Will this stop all the developmental activities in the region?
Gram Sabha consentIn fact, the Gadgil report has categorically stated that any kind of conservation policies, including the demarcation of ESA, be done with the consent of gram sabha, the foundation for local level democratic institution. This is embedded in the constitutional provisions of decentralisation of power. However, both the Central and State government is not keen on evolution of power to local people. This will take away the decision making form the State and empower the people in the villages. The Supreme Court upheld the power of Gram Sabha in Niyamagiri, which led to stopping Vendanta’s mega aluminum plant in Orissa.
The lobby of vested interests that is causing destruction of Western Ghats realised the danger of such revolutionary power being given to local people. This would have challenged the power of local elite and bureaucracy. Sensing the danger they hatched the plan to create rumours about the adverse impact on the people and their livelihood, and in the process to arouse the people. Creation of false fear among the people to the extent that “you will not be allowed to construct the house or cut the trees you have planted” led to panic situation. As a result they participated in massive numbers opposing the reports, without any basis.
In Kerala, political parties used this to mobilise their vote base, creating a mass hysteria against both the reports. Adding fuel to the fire, the Central government played negative role in accelerating the crisis. First, it rejected pro-people Gadgil report and later it came up with diluted industry friendly Kasturirangan report. Having been forced by National Green Tribunal, the Centre is not keen on implementing even this watered down version!
Governments and political parties are on a bargaining spree, to get their share of natural resources from Western Ghats. Instead of facilitating a healthy dialogue on the strategies to conserve these fragile ecosystems, they have joined hands with the destructive forces. Political bargaining with parochial vision will eventually lead to decimating Western Ghats sacrificing water, and ecological security of coming generations.
