Sullia: In response to the call for bandh against the recommendations of Kasturirangan Committee declaring many areas in the taluk as ecologically sensitive areas, shops and business establishments remained closed in Sullia on Tuesday, December 30.

Hundreds of people participated in the protest rally, which was jointly organized by Malenadu Jana Hitarakshana Vedike, Malenadu Janti Kriya Samiti and Raita Hitarakshana Vedike. The local BJP MLA, S. Angara led the protest. Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other parties and organizations supported the bandh.

The protest was held against the recommendation of Kasturirangan Committee to declare 17 villages as eco-sensitive areas in Sullia taluk.

MLA S. Angara said that the officials have kept the villagers in dark with regard to the report. Another protestors asked all the political parties to fight together and reject the Kasturirangan report.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, A.B. Ibrahim wrote to the Karnataka Biodiversity Board on December 26 asking it to defer notification of ecologically sensitive areas in the district as stated in the Kasturirangan Committee report.

In the letter, Ibrahim said there were opposition from 10 gram panchayats and several organisations to the recommendation of villages in the district. “As almost all the gram panchayats have opposed the notification of ESA, the same may be deferred for the time being in Dakshina Kannada district,” Mr. Ibrahim said in the letter.
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