Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Karnataka State President B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday, 21 September 2026, urged the state government to seek a one-year extension from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to conduct a physical survey of areas covered under the Kasturirangan report, arguing that merely passing a resolution against the Centre during the special Assembly session would not resolve the crisis facing forest-fringe communities.

What Vijayendra Demanded

Speaking during the special Assembly session in Bengaluru, Vijayendra called for a ground-level verification of all 1,476 villages listed under the Kasturirangan proposal, arguing that satellite surveys conducted several years ago no longer reflected current land-use realities. He said plantations, agricultural land, forests and settlements must be physically verified before any decisions affecting people's lives and livelihoods are finalised.

He demanded that Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) maps at the survey-number level be prepared for all affected villages and made publicly available in Kannada. He also called for the Revenue and Forest departments to jointly conduct the survey alongside gram panchayats and local representatives, with special gram sabhas held in every affected village to record residents' views.

Why the October Deadline Is Untenable, He Argued

Vijayendra stated it would be impossible to complete such a large-scale survey and prepare comprehensive documentation before the October 25 NGT deadline. He urged the government to deploy a strong legal team before the tribunal and seek at least one year to complete the exercise. 'Get an extension, conduct the physical survey, prepare an alternative map, obtain resolutions from the gram sabhas and formulate clear measures to protect people's livelihoods. Then submit a comprehensive report before the NGT,' he said.

Balancing Environment and Livelihoods

'The Western Ghats must be protected, rivers must be protected, and the environment must be protected. At the same time, the people living on the forest fringes, farmers and their livelihoods must also be protected. It is the responsibility of the government to strike a balance between the two,' Vijayendra said. He also called for time-bound disposal of pending applications under Bagair Hukum and Section 94A provisions, and suggested setting up a dedicated task force to resolve forest-revenue boundary disputes.

Criticism of Ruling Party and Forest Officials

Vijayendra criticised ruling party legislators and ministers for undertaking padayatras alongside residents over the Kasturirangan issue, even as the government publicly maintained it would not politicise the matter. He also flagged complaints that forest officials were creating unnecessary difficulties for residents — including, he claimed, obstructing people from bringing firewood for funerals and constructing toilets. 'People are already facing conflict with wild animals. At the same time, a situation of conflict with forest officials has also developed,' he said, adding that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's stated intention to act firmly on errant officials must now be implemented.

What Happens Next

The special Karnataka Assembly session is expected to produce a resolution on the Kasturirangan issue, but Vijayendra warned that a resolution alone would not satisfy the NGT or address ground-level concerns. With the October 25 deadline approaching, the state government's legal strategy before the tribunal is likely to be the decisive factor in how the issue unfolds for the 1,476 affected villages across the Western Ghats region.