The Karnataka cabinet today decided to keep private lands and villages falling in 40 talukas in Western Ghats area in the state out of the purview of the eco-sensitive areas.
The decision was taken on the recommendations assimilated by the Cabinet sub-committee which held public hearings on Kasturirangan report in areas falling under Western Ghat areas in the state, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said.
Jayachandra, however, did not divulge the numbers of villages and hectares of private lands that would be out of the purview of the eco-sensitive areas.
"For the cabinet meeting we did not have the number of villages and hectares of private lands to be omitted. Nevertheless, villages and private lands falling under 40 talukas will be exempted," he said.
Jayachandra said he had held a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and had decided to submit the state's comments on Kasturirangan report to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) before April 30.
Earlier, the Centre had asked states to give their comments on the report before April 15, he said.
Jayachandra said the cabinet discussed the matter and took a final decision on submission of the government report.
He said he and Forest and Environment Minister B Ramnath Rai had briefed Siddaramaiah about the work done by the Cabinet sub-committee on the Kasturirangan report.
Committee members had visited a few Western Ghat districts and reviewed the implications of the report, he said.
MoEF wrote to the six states under Western Ghats region seeking comments on the Kasturirangan Report. So far, only Kerala has submitted its objections to the Centre, he added.
