← 16 September 2026's Current Affairs · Environment GS-3 Prelims ★★★★★ Mains ★★★★☆
Karnataka assures farmers over Kasturirangan Report on Western Ghats
Why in News?
37% of the Western Ghats at stake: the Kasturirangan report every Environment answer cites
Karnataka has assured protesting farmers that no action harming their interests will follow from the Kasturirangan Committee report on the Western Ghats.
Why it matters: asked in KPSC 2024; GS-3 core; factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
Karnataka's government has assured farmers and agricultural workers protesting against the Kasturirangan Committee report that no action harming their interests will be taken regarding its implementation.
The committee, headed by former ISRO chairman K.
Kasturirangan, recommended declaring nearly 37% of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area to curb mining, quarrying and construction.
The report has faced sustained opposition from farmers in Malnad districts such as Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru, who fear restrictions on land use.
Sources: Oneindia Kannada · Topper IAS editorial
Key facts
Remember these
- Kasturirangan Committee was headed by former ISRO chairman K. Kasturirangan
- It recommended declaring nearly 37% of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA)
- The aim was to curb mining, quarrying and construction in fragile zones
- Farmers in Malnad districts like Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru have protested the report
- Karnataka's government has assured that implementation will not harm farmers' interests
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The Kasturirangan Committee recommended declaring nearly 37% of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area.
- The committee was constituted to review the earlier Madhav Gadgil Committee report on Western Ghats ecology.
- Restrictions proposed under the ESA framework primarily target mining, quarrying and large construction activity.
Mains
Under GS Paper 3 (Environment), the issue reflects the classic tension between ecological conservation and rural livelihoods in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. The Kasturirangan Committee's ESA recommendation, meant to curb mining, quarrying and construction, has met sustained resistance from Malnad farmers who fear land-use curbs, pushing the state to promise farmer-friendly implementation. The way forward lies in a participatory, zone-specific approach that protects ecology without undermining agrarian livelihoods.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the K. Kasturirangan Committee? a) The Committee was set up in 2022. b) It was set up to study the status of important ecological areas in the Western Ghats. c) The Karnataka Government accepted the Kasturirangan Committee report in September 2024.
- a, b and c are correct
- only c is correct
- only b is correct
- only a and b are correct
Show answer
Answer: C
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The Kasturirangan Committee, whose report has drawn farmer protests in Karnataka's Malnad districts, recommended declaring Ecologically Sensitive Areas concerning which mountain range?
- Vindhya Range
- Aravalli Range
- Western Ghats
- Satpura Range
Show answer
Answer: C — The Kasturirangan Committee recommended declaring nearly 37% of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area, a recommendation that has faced sustained opposition from farmers in Karnataka's Malnad region.
Convert this topic into marks
Today's 10-MCQ test · instant analysis · Powered by AdaptIQ