Kappatha Gudda: Karnataka HC restrains authorities

BENGALURU: The Karnataka high court on Wednesday passed an interim order of injunction restraining the authorities from issuing the final notification in relation to the Kappatha Gudda forest area for declaring it as ‘Kappatha Gudda conservation reserve’ during the pendency of the PIL filed against it.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee passed this order while ordering notice to the state government, PCCF (Wildlife) , Karnataka wildlife Board and deputy Commissioner of Gadag in response to the PIL filed by Venkatesh Dasar and five others.
According to the petitioners, in the January 16, 2017 public consultation meeting held at Dambala village, Mundarigi taluk, Gadag district, the authorities did not allow public to effectively participate and also without considering the detailed objections have proceeded to conclude to refer the matter to Karnataka Wildlife Board to take a decision in the matter.
They have contended that even the January 7 ,2017 public notice issued by the authorities in relation to public consultation meeting was not published in largely circulated local newspapers as required under Section 36A of Wildlife (Protection) Act ,1972 and the same was notified at the DCs office and only a selected local politicians and local religious heads were aware of this notification and even the meeting was held at the one of the institutions belonging to a local religious head at whose behest the entire conservation move was taken up.
The petitioners have further claimed that there are more than 33 villages in and around Kappathagudda (hillock) with more than 1.17 lakh population (2011 census), mostly belonging to the downtrodden category and majority of whom dependent on rearing of cattle (90,000 cattle) and sheep (40,000 sheep) for their livelihood in addition to farming in about 1,000 hectares of land.
The petitioners have alleged that on the one hand government had allowed setting up of 250 windmills to generate power, while on the other it was trying to take a decision detrimental to the interest of local villagers, influenced by local politicians.