Kasturirangan recommendations on Talacauvery opposed

The implementation of the recommendations of the Kasturirangan committee to declare Talacauvery as an ecologically sensitive area was opposed during a special Gram Sabha held at Bhagamandala on Monday.

The declaration is being opposed by the villagers through protests for the last three days in Bhagamandala.

On Monday too, the protesters took out a rally from the shandy market to the main gate in town. They said that the decision to bring the villages Bhagamandala, Tannimani, Cherangala, Ayyangeri Sannapulikotu, Ballamavati and Peruru under an ecologically sensitive area should be withdrawn.

Verbal duel
The protesters argued with SI Sadashiva and SI Shivaprakash when the police tried to arrest them for blocking the road.

In the special Gram Sabha chaired by Bhagamandala Gram Panchayat president Sumitra, advocate Sunil Patrao, Kudiyara Muttappa, Hosuru Satish Kumar, GP member Manoj Kumar and others opposed the declaration of the region as ecologically sensitive. They insisted that people belonging to SC/ST and tribal communities will have difficulties in obtaining record of rights, due to the step taken by the government. Also, the farmers cannot use machines, which is a hindrance to them, they added.

Garbage disposal
BJP Yuva Morcha president Kalana Ravi said that, in the wake of the declaration of ecologically sensitive area, the Forest Department has imposed a stay on the waste management unit. Therefore, there will be a problem of scientific disposal of garbage in future. If the permission for the unit is not given, garbage will be dumped in front of the Forest Department office itself, he warned.

Nodal officer Girish, Gram Panchayat vice president Bhavani Harish, Bhagamandala RFO Harish and others were present.