The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) of the Union government has sent back the State government’s proposal for de-reservation of forest land, released earlier for rehabilitation of families affected by the Sharavathi Valley Hydroelectric Project.
In March this year, the State government sent a proposal to deserve 9,129 acres of forest land in Shivamogga, which was denotified by the State between 1958 and 1969, to rehabilitate the project-affected people. The MoEF has sent it back, citing the Supreme Court’s order in 2000 and 2004 that said, “Pending further orders, no de-reservation of forests/sanctuaries/national parks shall be effected”. The letter sent by Dheeraj Mittal, Assistant Inspector General of Forests said: “In view of the Supreme Court’s orders, the GoK is requested to take appropriate action in this matter.” The State received the letter on May 2, it has belatedly come to light.
With this, the issue has landed in the State government’s court again. The rehabilitation of families affected by the Sharavathi project was one of the major issues in the recently-concluded Assembly elections. Then the ruling BJP assured the people that the issue would be resolved and they would get their land once the Centre accepted the proposal. Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and Shivamogga Lok Sabha member B.Y. Raghavendra did make promises to the people during the election campaign. On the other hand, the Congress leaders had taken out protest rallies on the issue.
