Former minister, BJP leader Hartal Halappa addressing a press conference in Shivamogga on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: S.K. Dinesh
Former Minister and BJP leader Haratal Halappa has opposed the draft notification declaring parts of the Western Ghats, including villages on the foothills, as an eco-sensitive area.Addressing a press conference in Shivamogga on Thursday, Mr. Halappa said the Centre had issued the draft notification for the seventh time, based on the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee on the Western Ghats, headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K. Kasturirangan. The draft notification seeks to declare 20,668 sq km of area in Karnataka, spanning 1,449 villages — including 447 in Shivamogga district — as eco-sensitive.If the notification were finalised, he said, residents of the area would face many difficulties in their day-to-day lives.“The report submitted by Mr. Kasturirangan was unscientific. It was not based on actual findings from the field,” Mr. Halappa said. He recalled that in 2022, a delegation of elected representatives from Karnataka had met the Union Minister concerned and submitted a memorandum opposing the notification. “The State government should take a stand and oppose the notification,” he demanded.BJP district president N.K.Jagadish and party leader Mallikarjun Hakre were present at the press conference. Published - August 20, 2026 08:27 pm IST
