Karnataka govt to stick to its decision to completely reject Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats
Bengaluru, Sep 26: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to stick to its decision to completely reject the Dr K Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats.
"Regarding the central government's draft notification of the Western Ghats eco-sensitive area (ESA), based on the report by Dr K Kasturirangan-led high-level working group, the Cabinet held a detailed discussion. Already a decision has been taken by Karnataka to completely reject Dr Kasturirangan report, we have decided to continue with that decision," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told reporters.
At a consultation organised by the Forest Department recently, public representatives from across party lines from the region had opposed the sixth draft notification of the Western Ghats eco-sensitive area (ESA).
The Union Environment Ministry has issued six draft notifications since March 2014 to declare over 56,825.7 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as eco-sensitive. However, the final notification is still pending due to objections from the states.
Overall, the notification proposes to declare 449 square kilometres in Gujarat, 17,340 square kilometres in Maharashtra, 1,461 square kilometres in Goa, 20,668 square kilometres in Karnataka, 6,914 square kilometres in Tamil Nadu and 9,993.7 square kilometres in Kerala as ecologically sensitive.
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Accused in Panambur Beach murder case arrested from Chombala near Kozhikode
Mangaluru: Mangaluru police have arrested a 50-year-old man from Kozhikode, Kerala, in connection with the murder of a 39-year-old man near Panambur Beach in Mangaluru. The accused, identified as Dharmaraj Suvarna, a resident of Thotabengre in Mangaluru, was arrested on Thursday night by a team of officers from the Panambur Police Station.
The victim, Muttu Basavaraj Vaddar, also known as Mudukappa, hailed from Amingada in Bagalkot. He had reportedly been on friendly terms with Suvarna. According to the police, the incident that led to the murder began over a dispute involving a mobile phone. Suvarna had recently purchased a new phone, which was borrowed by Mudukappa. Mudukappa allegedly damaged the device and did not return it, leading to escalating tensions between the two men.
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On Sunday, the disagreement culminated in a violent altercation, during which Suvarna allegedly struck Mudukappa with a wooden log, resulting in his death. Mudukappa's body was later discovered near the shore at Thotabengre estuary, raising concerns among local residents.
Following the discovery of the body, the Panambur Police registered a case and launched an investigation. Acting on credible information about Suvarna's whereabouts, the police team tracked him to Chombala in Kozhikode. The operation, carried out within the Chombala Police Station limits, led to Suvarna's arrest late at night.
