The Karnataka Legislature on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, unanimously resolved to form a high-level committee headed by a retired judge to scrutinise the Kasturirangan report and recommend modifications to the proposed Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) notification. The state also decided to dispatch an all-party delegation to the Centre to press for changes before any final notification is issued.

What the Legislature Resolved

Replying to debates in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar tabled resolutions that both Houses approved. The state will seek one year from the Centre to conduct a detailed, village-wise and survey-number-wise physical survey before proposing modifications.

The high-level committee will include officials from the Revenue and Forest departments, representatives from farming, industry, and business sectors, forest and environmental experts, and specialists from academic institutions. Parallel committees will be formed at the gram panchayat level. The committee is mandated to recommend scientific demarcation of eco-sensitive areas, forests, agricultural and horticultural land, and residential zones.

Why Karnataka Rejected the Draft Notification

Shivakumar said the seventh draft ESA notification issued by the Centre on 27 July 2026 — which identifies 20,668 sq km spanning 1,449 villages across 10 districts of Karnataka as eco-sensitive — 'cannot be accepted in its present form.' He alleged the notification relied on satellite imagery rather than a joint physical or survey-number-based assessment.

Forests and agricultural or horticultural areas can appear similarly green in satellite images, leading to misclassification, he argued. Declaring an entire village as eco-sensitive merely because 20 per cent of it falls under forest cover would not be scientifically appropriate, Shivakumar contended. Such classification could obstruct house construction, property inheritance, agriculture, plantations, roads, schools, hospitals, drinking water pipelines, and other basic infrastructure.

Karnataka has been raising objections to ESA drafts since 2004 and communicated its Cabinet's position to the Centre in 2021, 2022, and 2024. The state has now rejected six earlier draft notifications in addition to the seventh.

Impact on Farmers, Tribal Communities and Local Residents

Shivakumar said he had personally met tribal communities and families affected by the seventh draft, and referred to large-scale protests in Balehonnur, Shivamogga, and Sakleshpur. The government committed to ensuring that farmers who have cultivated land near forests for generations are not adversely affected.

The Chief Minister said sanctioned areas should not be included in ESA designations and that people should not be evicted without rehabilitation. Cases relating to Bagair Hukum land, the Forest Rights Act, deemed forests, land grants, and matters pending before courts must be examined before any action is taken. Buffer zones, he added, could be created within forest areas, with specific guidelines to facilitate housing for low-income families.

What the Government Said on Conservation

Despite the push for modifications, Shivakumar reaffirmed that protecting the Western Ghats, biodiversity, river sources, and wildlife — including black panthers and elephants — remains the government's commitment. 'The forest must be protected, and the farmers must also survive,' he said.

He added that fresh encroachments in forest areas would be stopped. People living along forest boundaries who possess firearms have been asked to surrender them at police stations by 1 November. Modern technology, cameras, and systems to monitor elephant movement are being deployed to prevent human-wildlife conflict.

Political and Legal Steps Ahead

There was consensus on sending an all-party delegation to meet the Prime Minister and Union ministers. Shivakumar also suggested appointing a senior Supreme Court lawyer to represent Karnataka's position before the Centre. He appealed to Members of Parliament to set aside political differences and raise the state's concerns jointly. 'Voters are our masters. Let us do politics when it is time for politics. Now, farmers and ordinary people must survive,' he said.

The Centre has been urged not to finalise the draft notification until it holds detailed discussions with the state. With surveys, legal representation, and cross-party consultations all in motion, the Western Ghats ESA dispute is entering a decisive phase.