Karnataka legislature seeks narrower ecological zone under Kasturirangan report

Both Houses of the Karnataka legislature have adopted a resolution urging the Centre to confine the Ecologically Sensitive Area under the Kasturirangan report to notified forests. The resolution seeks one year for the physical survey of areas covered by the issue. It also proposes the formation of a high-power committee led by a retired judge to recommend corrections to what it describes as lacunae in the report.

The supplied material does not identify the areas that would be affected by the proposed limitation or state the extent of land currently considered under the Ecologically Sensitive Area framework. It also does not name the retired judge who would lead the proposed committee. The resolution is an appeal to the Centre rather than a statement that the proposed changes have already been accepted.

The available information does not include the Union government’s response or indicate what decision will follow from the legislature’s request. No details were supplied about the vote in either House, the parties supporting the resolution or any opposition to it. The material also does not explain the specific provisions of the Kasturirangan report that the proposed committee would review.

The available facts establish that Karnataka’s two legislative chambers have jointly sought a narrower application of the Ecologically Sensitive Area, additional time for physical surveys and a committee to examine alleged gaps in the report.