Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar assured traditional cultivators at a public consultation in Tirthahalli that his government would stand by them regarding the Centre’s draft Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area notification. Responding to farmer pleas at the September 19 meeting, he directed the Forest Department not to issue fresh eviction or encroachment notices to traditional cultivators, while still preventing new encroachments.
Farmer representatives pressed for a physical survey of the proposed ESA footprint and a Kerala-style survey model. Shivakumar stated that these suggestions, along with a resolution to urge the Centre to reduce the Forest Rights Act residency requirement from 75 years to 25 years, would be examined in detail during a special legislature session before the state finalizes its position.
Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy assured the gathering that public opinion would be weighed seriously and promised a follow-up forest meeting in Shivamogga after the session. Local legislators and party leaders also attended the consultation as protests against the draft continued in nearby taluks.