Farmers storm Sagar AC office protesting Western Ghats ecological sensitivity draft

Hundreds of farmers stormed the Assistant Commissioner's office in Sagar on Thursday, mounting a fierce protest against a draft notification by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change that seeks to declare parts of the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Area. The draft, which follows recommendations from the expert committee led by K. Kasturirangan, has triggered widespread unrest across Karnataka's Malnad districts.

The demonstration was spearheaded by former Minister and BJP leader Haratalu Halappa along with Dinesh Shiravala, district president of the Raita Sangha. Protesters marched through Sagar town chanting slogans against the Kasturirangan Committee before converging on the AC's office. Tension escalated when farmers attempted to dismantle police barricades and force entry into the premises, prompting authorities to step in and restore order.

This marks the seventh draft notification issued by the Centre on the Western Ghats, and farmers' groups contend it threatens to bring inhabited villages and agricultural land under stringent ESA restrictions. They fear the notification will impose severe curbs on the use of fertilizers, construction activities, and other farming practices, jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of families living in the foothill regions.

The protesters have called on the Karnataka government to formally oppose the draft and press the Centre to exclude human habitats and farmland from the ESA classification. Similar protests have erupted across other Malnad districts in recent weeks, reflecting mounting anxiety among farming communities over the potential economic and social impact of the proposed restrictions. The issue has become a flashpoint in the region, with political leaders now under pressure to take a clear stand.