Bengaluru, Sept. 21 -- Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday mounted a strong defence of the State's opposition to the Kasturirangan report, warning that its implementation could put the livelihoods of people in 10 Western Ghats districts at risk and create fear among farmers.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during the special session on the contentious recommendations, Shivakumar said Karnataka had to strike a balance between protecting the ecologically fragile Western Ghats and safeguarding the people who had lived and cultivated land in the region for generations.
"The proposal of unscientific measures has caused widespread anxiety regarding people's livelihoods," he said, pointing out that more than six rivers origin...