Forest officials raid illegal resort in Sakleshpur reserve forest area; lock resort, owner's house
Sakleshpur: Forest Department officials and staff members raided a resort that had been built allegedly illegally in a protected area of Bilisare in the taluk.
The Forest Department team from Bengaluru, led by Forest Officer Shilpa, held an operation on Tuesday morning in the area, on receiving a tip-off that the Stone Valley Resort in Acchanahalli Reserve Forest area has been built without permission. The team from Bengaluru and the local officials of the Forest Department had issued a notice to the owner of the resort regarding the matter. A team of 30 personnel held a raid on the resort and inspected it, before locking the resort as well as the owner’s house.
The Forest Department had locked a resort near Vanaguru in the taluk, taking action under Section 4 of the Karnataka Forest Act. The locals, however, has alleged that more than 20 resorts and homestays have been constructed within the sanctuary, and are still open and working. “The fact that the Forest Department officials have taken action against only one resort here has given rise to many doubts,” they added.
Sakleshpur BJP MLA Cement Manju had expressed his anger in the Karnataka Assembly House recently, against the Forest Department’s inaction against such illegal resorts. A day after, Bengaluru officials of the Department carried out the raid on the Stone Valley Resort, sending a prior notice to the owner alleging encroachment of the reserve area to build the resort.
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Flip-flop on COP: Cong's dig at govt on withdrawing bid to host COP33
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday attacked the Centre over India withdrawing its bid to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028, and said it reflects the Modi government's true commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement both in letter and spirit.
The opposition party said the decision also calls into question the government's true commitment to take on more ambitious carbon mitigation goals in the short and medium term.
Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh recalled that on December 1, 2023, the prime minister had announced grandly in Dubai that India would be hosting the annual UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) in India in late 2028.
"Clearly the intention was to milk the global gathering for whatever it is worth in the months before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections like Mr. Modi did by having the G20 Summit in New Delhi a few months before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," Ramesh said on X.
"Unexpectedly last night, it was announced that India will not be hosting the high-profile 2028 Conference. No reasons have been given for this sudden decision. But it does reflect on the Modi Govt's true commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement both in letter and spirit," the Congress general in-charge communications said.
It also calls into question the Modi government's true commitment to take on more ambitious carbon mitigation goals in the short and medium term, Ramesh said.
By 2028, the seventh assessment report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) may get published and this could put greater pressure on India as the Chair of the 2028 Conference to forge a new consensus that would undoubtedly involve a scaling up of ambitions not just for a distant future, he said.
"Incidentally, do we recall what the PM had told a group of children some years ago on his view of climate change? He had remarked that 'people have changed, climate has not.' Bizarre!" Ramesh said.
He slammed the government's "flip-flop" on hosting the conference.
Ramesh had on Wednesday night said that he was "surprised" at the development.
"I am very surprised. It was high on the PM's agenda especially since 2029 will be the year of Lok Sabha polls. So atmospherics could have (been) created," he had said.
India has withdrawn its offer to host the United Nations annual climate Conference Of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, according to sources.
During his address at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, Prime Minister Modi had proposed India as the host country for COP33. Usually, the venue for a COP edition is decided two years in advance.
Sources confirmed that the decision was officially communicated to the authorities concerned earlier this week that India is withdrawing its bid to host COP 33. They, however, did not state any specific reason behind the government's decision.
