BENGALURU: A three-day special session of the Karnataka legislature begins on Monday, with the drought situation and the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats expected to dominate proceedings.
The session, scheduled to begin at 11am, comes against the backdrop of a stormy monsoon session that was curtailed by three days last month amid protests by the BJP over the alleged Valmiki Corporation irregularities and the resignation of then minister B Nagendra.
This time, the government has listed the drought situation and the Centre’s draft notification on the Western Ghats eco-sensitive area (ESA) among the key issues for discussion.
Members are expected to raise concerns over crop losses, drinking water shortages, power supply, fodder and water availability for livestock and compensation for farmers. Opposition parties are also likely to seek measures including farm-loan waivers and question the government’s drought management.
Kasturirangan report in focus
The Centre’s environment ministry issued the seventh draft notification on July 27, proposing to designate around 20,668 sq km across 1,576 villages in 33 taluks of 10 Karnataka districts as eco-sensitive areas.
The proposed area covers parts of Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Mysuru, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Udupi and Belagavi districts.
The proposal has triggered concerns among sections of farmers and residents in the Malnad and coastal regions over possible restrictions on development and economic activities. The state government is expected to discuss the draft and may seek to adopt a resolution opposing the notification and communicate its position to the Centre.
The September 27 deadline for submitting objections to the draft has added urgency to the discussion.
Meanwhile, farmers in Sringeri have called for a bandh on Monday opposing implementation of the Kasturirangan recommendations.
With the ruling and opposition benches preparing to raise their respective concerns, the three-day session is likely to witness heated exchanges over drought relief, agriculture and the Western Ghats proposal.