Karnataka Rejects Kasturirangan Report in Current Form, Seeks Ground Survey of Western Ghats

Karnataka Legislature Rejects Kasturirangan Report

The Karnataka Legislature on Tuesday unanimously rejected the Kasturirangan Committee report on the Western Ghats in its current form, citing concerns over its possible impact on local communities, agriculture, infrastructure and economic activity.

Both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council adopted the resolution without dissent during a special session convened to discuss the report and the state's drought situation.

The state government has also decided to conduct a comprehensive physical survey of the areas proposed to be classified as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs). The survey is expected to examine the actual conditions on the ground before Karnataka takes a final position on the Centre's draft notification.

Why Is Karnataka Opposing the Report?

The Kasturirangan recommendations seek restrictions in parts of the Western Ghats to protect the region's ecological and biodiversity value.

Karnataka's government has argued that applying the recommendations based largely on satellite mapping could bring inhabited areas, agricultural land and existing economic activities within the proposed ESA boundaries.

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the Western Ghats are important for Karnataka's natural resources, biodiversity and ecological balance, but argued that conservation measures should also account for people living in the region.

The state has therefore sought a more detailed assessment before the proposed boundaries are finalised.

What Is the Kasturirangan Report?

The Kasturirangan Committee, headed by former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan, was established to examine the conservation and sustainable development of the Western Ghats.

The committee submitted its report in 2013. It recommended that approximately 56,000 sq km across six states be identified as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.

Karnataka accounts for a significant portion of the area covered by the recommendations.

The Centre has subsequently issued several draft notifications based on the recommendations. Earlier notifications expired without being finalised, and the latest draft notification was issued in July 2026.

How Much of Karnataka Is Covered?

The latest draft notification proposes declaring around 20,668 sq km across 10 Karnataka districts as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.

The districts include:

• Belagavi

• Chamarajanagar

• Chikkamagaluru

• Kodagu

• Hassan

• Uttara Kannada

• Dakshina Kannada

• Mysuru

• Shivamogga

• Udupi

Earlier state government data had identified more than 1,400 villages across these districts as falling within the proposed ESA area, although the exact number of villages cited has varied during the discussion of different versions of the draft.

Karnataka Wants a Physical Ground Survey

A central part of Karnataka's response is its demand for a detailed physical survey.

Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the state will constitute a committee headed by a retired judge to conduct a comprehensive ground-level survey.

The proposed exercise is intended to determine exactly which areas are forests, farmland, settlements and other forms of human habitation.

The committee is expected to examine the actual impact of the proposed ESA designation on communities and complete its findings within about a year.

Karnataka Also Considers Drone-Based Mapping

The state has also discussed using technology to improve the mapping exercise.

On Monday, Shivakumar proposed the use of drone-based LiDAR technology and plot-level mapping to distinguish natural forest areas from farmland.

The idea is to generate more detailed information about land use rather than relying solely on broad satellite-based classifications.

Such mapping could potentially help identify differences between protected natural areas and land that is already being used for agriculture or habitation.

What Restrictions Could an ESA Designation Bring?

The Kasturirangan-based draft notification proposes restrictions on several categories of activity in designated areas.

These include activities such as:

• Mining and quarrying

• Sand mining

• Certain thermal power projects

• Large construction projects

• Township and area-development projects beyond specified limits

The precise restrictions would depend on the final notification and the applicable regulatory framework.

Karnataka has argued that applying restrictions over large areas without detailed ground verification could affect existing communities and development activities.

Government Says Livelihoods Are a Major Concern

The state government has repeatedly highlighted the potential impact on farmers and residents of the Western Ghats.

Shivakumar said the proposed implementation could affect livelihoods in 10 districts and create uncertainty among farmers.

The government has also argued that people have been living and farming in many of these areas for generations and that conservation policy should account for existing settlements and land use.

The state's position is that environmental protection and local livelihoods need to be considered together rather than treating the proposed ESA boundaries as purely administrative lines.

BJP Also Opposes the Report, but Disagrees With Congress on the Politics

The opposition BJP has also opposed the implementation of the Kasturirangan recommendations in their current form.

However, BJP and Congress members have disagreed over the political responsibility for the report.

During the Assembly debate, BJP leaders pointed out that the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committees were constituted during earlier Congress-led governments at the Centre.

BJP leaders have also argued that Karnataka should prepare a stronger legal strategy and seek additional time to conduct a physical survey.

Congress members, meanwhile, have urged the BJP to prevail upon the Union government to reject the proposal.

Despite these differences, legislators from both sides supported the resolution rejecting the report in its current form.

Gadgil Report vs Kasturirangan Report

The Western Ghats debate also involves an earlier report prepared by the Gadgil Committee, formally known as the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel.

The two reports differed significantly in their approach and the extent of the area proposed for ecological protection.

During the Assembly debate, Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre noted that the Gadgil committee had recommended approximately 1,29,037 sq km as an ESA, while the Kasturirangan committee recommended about 56,000 sq km.

The current dispute is primarily focused on the Kasturirangan-based draft notification.

Centre's September 27 Deadline

The Karnataka government's latest decision comes ahead of a deadline set by the Centre.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued the latest draft notification in July 2026 and allowed states to submit objections and suggestions.

Karnataka now plans to request that final notification of the proposed ESA areas be withheld until its physical survey has been completed. The state also intends to take an all-party delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present its position.

Why the Western Ghats Matter

The Western Ghats are one of India's most important ecological regions.

The mountain range supports forests, rivers, biodiversity and agricultural systems across several states. It is also important for rainfall patterns and water resources.

At the same time, millions of people live in and around the Western Ghats, with agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and other economic activities forming an important part of local economies.

This creates a long-standing policy challenge: how to strengthen ecological protection without imposing disproportionate restrictions on established communities.

Karnataka's Proposed Approach

The state's current approach can be summarised as:

IssueKarnataka's positionKasturirangan reportReject in current formESA mappingRequires detailed ground verificationPhysical surveyProposedSurvey committeeTo be headed by retired judgeTechnologyDrone/LiDAR and plot-level mapping consideredFinal notificationState wants it withheld until surveyPolitical approachAll-party delegation to PMMain concernsLivelihoods, agriculture, settlements and infrastructure

What Happens Next?

The immediate next step will be the state's proposed physical survey.

The retired-judge-led committee is expected to examine the proposed ESA areas and assess the actual land-use situation. The findings could provide Karnataka with more detailed information to submit to the Centre.

The state will also seek additional time before the finalisation of the ESA notification.

The Centre will ultimately have to consider Karnataka's objections and the information submitted by the state before deciding how to proceed with the draft notification.

Environmental Protection vs Local Development

The Kasturirangan debate illustrates the difficulty of balancing conservation with development.

Environmental protection advocates have argued that stronger safeguards are necessary to protect the Western Ghats from deforestation, mining, construction and other pressures.

Karnataka's government, meanwhile, has emphasised that conservation measures should accurately distinguish forests from established agricultural and residential areas.

The proposed ground survey is intended to provide more detailed evidence for that distinction.

Bottom Line

The Karnataka Legislature has unanimously rejected the Kasturirangan report in its current form and called for a detailed physical survey of the proposed Western Ghats eco-sensitive areas.

The state government says the latest draft could affect livelihoods, agriculture and infrastructure across 10 districts and argues that satellite-based mapping should be supplemented with ground-level verification. Karnataka plans to establish a retired-judge-led committee and has also discussed drone-based LiDAR and plot-level mapping.

The BJP has also opposed the report's implementation but has challenged the Congress government's political framing of the issue. Despite those differences, both ruling and Opposition legislators supported the resolution rejecting the report in its present form.

The next major step will be the proposed physical survey and Karnataka's discussions with the Centre before the September 27 deadline.