Cautious welcome to final notification on area around Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary
Samaj Parivartana Samudaya (SPS) and National Committee for Protection for Natural Resources (NCPNR) have extended a cautious welcome to the final notification declaring 423.7 sq km area as Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary. Now, they plan to hold in-depth discussion with all those concerned.
Addressing presspersons in Hubballi on Saturday, founder-president of SPS and NCPNR S.R. Hiremath said that while they cautiously welcome the notification, they plan to hold in-depth discussion with all those concerned, including the seer of Gadag Tontdarya Mutt who successfully continues the movement initiated by his predecessor Sri Siddalinga Swami opposing mining and seeking protection to the unique eco system in Kappatagudda.
The Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary is spread out over 244.15 sq km comprising four taluks of Gadag district. And, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued the final notification on June 4, declaring 423.7 sq km area around the sanctuary as Eco Sensitive Zone.
Mr. Hiremath said that they plan to call for a meeting about the notification and also discuss the need to pressurise the Karnataka government to drop the 18 mining proposals. Earlier, the State government put off (not dropped) the decision on these proposals.
The meeting will also deliberate the sustained decade-long people's movement led by the Tontadarya Mutt and various organisations, including SPS and NCPNR, he said.
He said that as the government is expected to prepare the zonal master plan in consultation with local communities, various departments and other stakeholders, the proposed meeting will also deliberate the related issues so that the mining proposals are cancelled permanently.
Book release
Mr. Hiremath, meanwhile, said that during the Emergency, the Indian diaspora in the United States resisted Indira Gandhi's authoritarian rule and many who believed in Gandhian values came together to save India's democracy. A book, The Conscience Network: A chronicle of resistance to a dictatorship, by Sugata Srinivasraju, which records these efforts, will be released in Bengaluru on July 4, he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
32 minutes ago
- India Today
Did US use Indian airspace to strike Iran nuke sites? Government clarifies
India on Sunday dismissed as "fake" claims by certain social media handles that the US fighter jets used Indian airspace to launch strikes against US bombed three nuclear sites in Iran overnight, with President Donald Trump warning of additional strikes if Iran retaliates. advertisement'Several social media accounts have claimed that Indian Airspace was used by the United States to launch aircrafts against Iran during Operation #MidnightHammer. This claim is FAKE,' PIB Fact Check said in a post on X. 'Indian Airspace was NOT used by the United States during Operation #MidnightHammer,' said the fact check unit of the Press Information Bureau that functions under the Ministry of Information and said that the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine had explained the route used by US aircraft during a press InMust Watch
India Today
32 minutes ago
- India Today
Operation Sindhu: First batch of 160 Indians evacuated from Israel through Jordan
With Israeli airspace closed and commercial flights suspended, the Indian missions in Israel and Jordan jointly evacuated 160 Indian nationals in the first batch under Operation Sindhu on Sunday, according to an embassy missions organised the first batch of evacuation from Israel as the Indian nationals living in Israel constantly grappled with the sounds of sirens, frequently taking cover in bunkers and fortified safe rooms from incoming missiles and drones from first group of 160 Indian nationals evacuated from Israel have successfully crossed the Israel-Jordan border and are now safe in Jordan," officials told PTI. "Arrangements have been made for their return to India, with a special evacuation flight scheduled to depart early tomorrow morning," they Indian nationals reached the Jordanian border for evacuation earlier, the embassy sources told Indian embassy in Amman is looking after their accommodation and launched Operation Sindhu last week to bring back Indians from Iran and Israel as hostilities between the two nations the urgency of the situation, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv last week set up a 24/7 control room to oversee all facets of the evacuation efforts, the source control room directed Indian nationals to register via an online portal and compiled a detailed database of Indian citizens across Israel, it priorities were determined based on medical emergencies, the presence of young children, women, and students. Embassy officials proactively contacted registrants by phone and email to confirm travel details and allocate them to specific evacuation flights," the source situation on the ground is being closely monitored at the highest levels of the government, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi actively receiving real-time updates on the safety and security of the Indian nationals, the source said."This operation underscores India's unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad. Operation Sindhu is yet another testament to India's emergence as a credible 'first responder' in international crises," a statement from the Indian mission Indian nationals scheduled to be evacuated in the first batch gathered at designated assembly points in Tel Aviv and Haifa early Sunday morning and were then taken by road to the Sheikh Hussein Bridge on the Israel-Jordan border, some 120 kilometres from completing immigration and border formalities at the Israel-Jordanian border, the group proceeded to Amman Airport, another 120 kilometres Shukla, a researcher from Hebrew University who was evacuated on Sunday morning, praised "the smooth and carefully planned process" by the embassy under "difficult circumstances", and told PTI: "I have completed the visa process and have already moved to the Jordanian side. The embassy was extremely helpful in facilitating our journey, and we were looked after well."advertisementThe Israeli and Jordanian governments extended crucial support in ensuring the safe and orderly transit of Indian nationals across the border, the mission in Tel Aviv Embassy of India in Jordan played a key role in receiving the evacuees at the border to further facilitate their onward journey to Amman Airport, it flights from Amman to New Delhi have been arranged by the Ministry of External Affairs to safely fly Indian nationals flights are also planned to leave from Egypt in the coming days, as there are many Indians living in the south of Sindhu joins the ranks of previous high-profile evacuation missions such as Operation Ganga, Operation Devi Shakti, Operation Kaveri, and Operation Ajay, which successfully brought home Indians from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Israel, respectively."These efforts reflect not only India's growing global stature but also its operational readiness and deep sense of responsibility toward its diaspora," an embassy official said."The Government of India continues to accord the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely. The embassy remains continuously in touch with the community to extend all feasible assistance," the official Indian mission in Israel once again reached out to its citizens on Sunday to register for ongoing updates and assistance, and provided a 24/7 helpline are over 40,000 Indian nationals in Israel working as caregivers, construction workers, students, professionals and others. Tune InMust Watch
India Gazette
38 minutes ago
- India Gazette
India can play proactive role in stopping Iran-Israel war, says West Asia strategist Awwad
New Delhi [India], June 23 (ANI): West Asia expert and veteran journalist Waiel Awwad on Sunday said that India can play a proactive role in stopping the ongoing war between Iran and Israel. While speaking to ANI about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Awwad emphasised that India should leverage its position to de-escalate tensions in the region. '...Prime Minister Modi has said that this era is not for war. Peace should prevail. India will be affected by the war situation in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries and the Persian Gulf. Food and oil security will be affected...7 billion dollars of Indian revenue is generated there, so India will suffer...,' he said. 'India says that it is taking a leadership position -- even the G20 was held here -- which means India can play a proactive role in stopping this war,' he added. PM Modi on Sunday spoke with the President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing deep concern at the recent escalations and called for 'immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy'. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, 'Spoke with President of Iran @drpezeshkian. We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations.' He emphasised the need for a peaceful resolution and added, 'Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability.' During the intervening hours of Saturday and Sunday, the US and Israel targeted Iran's nuclear sites in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. Fardow is Iran's main enrichment location for uranium enrichment to 60 per cent. According to a CNN report, the US likely used six B-2 bombers to drop a dozen GBU-57 A/B 'bunker buster' bombs, also known as Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP), on the Fordow nuclear site, which is Iran's main location for uranium enrichment. A US official also told CNN that a full payload of bombs was dropped on Fordow. In his first public remarks following the strikes, President Trump warned that further action could be taken if Tehran fails to agree to a satisfactory peace settlement. 'There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we've witnessed over the last eight days,' Trump said in his address to the nation from the White House on Saturday (local time). (ANI)
