UNESCO tag not in peoples interests

BANGALORE: Strongly defending the decision to oppose the Centre’s move to nominate ten sites of natural heritage in Western Ghats to UNESCO’s list of world heritage places, Minister for Higher Education Dr V S Acharya said that the state would oppose the proposal tooth and nail in the interests of the inhabitants of the entire range.Addressing newsmen here on Wednesday Dr Acharya, who is one of the members of the group of ministers which have decided to reject the Centre’s proposal, charged that the state was meted out injustice from the Centre on several issues, including denying permission for the Hubli-Ankola railway line, Gundya hydel power project and coal linkage for thermal power plants from Chattisgarh.“The Centre’s proposal is another ploy to deny any future developmental initiative from the state government,” Dr Acharya said.Strongly backing Forest Minister C H Vijayashankar’s assertion on the issue, he said that existing legislation, including Forest Act, State Wildlife Act and others are enough to protect the flora and fauna of the eco-sensitive Western Ghats.Dr Acharya refuted Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh’s statement that the Western Ghats would be made a no-go area, and said that it would amount to denying forest dwellers in over 59 taluks and 224 hoblis right of living.“The tone and tenor of the Union minister’s statement cannot be tolerated,” he said.A group of ministers, including Forest Minister C H Vijayashankar, Dr V S Acharya, Law Minister Suresh Kumar, Fisheries and Port Minister Krishna Palemar and a few BJP legislators decided to oppose the Centre’s move to nominate ten natural sites in the Western Ghats to UNESCO’s World Heritage places.The main apprehension of the government was losing control and access to the vast area in the Western Ghat region which gives birth to the rivers Krishna, Tunga-Bhadra and Cauvery and numerous other tributaries, which are the lifeline of entire south India.