Kasturirangan report : sections relevant to agriculture

Note: Yellow Highlighted text is Copied directly from the Kasturirangan report. PDF page number and text

page number is used. PDF is easier to refer.

websites :

http://envfor.nic.in/content/high-level-working-group-presents-report-western-ghats

1. http://envfor.nic.in/sites/default/files/HLWG-Report-Part-1_0.pdf

2. http://envfor.nic.in/sites/default/files/HLWG-Report-Part-2.pdf

(Page 57 of report vol. 1 and 83/175 of pdf) While very high biological richness with low and

medium fragmentation and high biological richness with low fragmentation has been taken as

ESA as such, the high biological richness medium fragmentation class was included only where

the population density was lower than 100 persons/km2. The population data from the 2001

census (Govt. of India, 2001) was combined with spatial data on village boundaries (Survey of

India) to prepare a spatial layer on population density. The reason that less than 100

person/km2 was chosen because in hilly areas the usual density is<100 persons/km2. (

annexure of report vol. 1 and 171/175 of pdf) The population density of <100 persons/km' (as per Census, 2001) used as the cut-off for identifying the ESAs in the 'high' biological richness class

with 'medium' forest fragmentation, need to be discussed appropriately in the report.

Development Restrictions in proposed Ecologically sensitive areas (Page xiii of report vol. 1 and 16/175 of pdf)

1. HLWG is recommending a prohibitory and regulatory regime in ESA for those activities with

maximum interventionist and destructive impact on the ecosystem. All other infrastructure

development activities, necessary for the region, will be carefully scrutinized and assessed for

cumulative impact and development needs, before clearance. (Page xiii of report vol 1 and 16/175 of

PDF).

2. Building and construction projects of 20,000 m2 and above should not be allowed. Townships and

area development projects should be prohibited. (17/175 of PDF ; xiv ; same idea in Page 135/175; pages

109 : 6.4.5 Settlements) .

3. All other infrastructure and development projects/schemes should be subject to environment

clearance under Category ‘A’ projects under EIA Notification 2006. (18/175 of PDF; xv).

4. All development projects, located within 10 km of the Western Ghats ESA and requiring

Environment Clearance (EC), shall be regulated as per the provisions of the EIA Notification 2006.

(150-151/175 of PDF; pages 124-125).

5. The villages falling under ESA will be involved in decision making on the future projects. All

projects will require prior-informed consent and no objection from the Gram Sabha of the village.

The provision for prior informed consent under the Forest Rights Act will also be strictly

enforced. ((((18/175 of PDF; xv)....

6. The 14th Finance Commission should consider options for ecosystem and other service payments

in the Western Ghats as well as allocation of funds to ESA areas. It should also consider how these

funds for environmental management would be made available directly to local communities who

live in and around Western Ghats ESA. (18/175 of PDF; xv).

Issues related to monoculture plantations and agriculture

( Page 126/175 PDF of Report Vol.1 page 101; section 6.2).

Page 126/175 PDF of Report Vol.1 page 101;Furthermore, it is also important that

environmentally sounddevelopment should be incentivized and not only practiced through fiat. It is

also clear that this recommendation of the WGEEP has evoked the strongest criticism from many

quarters. There is apprehension that this ‘blanket prescription’ could be detrimental to economy and

livelihoods. For instance, the Kodagu coffee growers and planters association made a strong

representation to the High Level Working Group that the district should be kept out of the Gadgil

committee recommendations. Their argument was that they have a strong tradition of cultivation of

coffee, cardamom and other crops. They practice techniques, which protect the soil, recharge

groundwater through ponds and use organic manure. Their way of life is not harmful to the

environment.

Page 127/175 of Report Vol.1 page 101 : While WGEEP does not contain a specific reference to

plantations in Kodagu, the sector wise guidelines stoke fears of selective interpretation and misuse. In

this case, WGEEP specifies that in ESZ1/ESZ2 change in land use would not be permitted from

forest to non-forest uses or agriculture, except where it is needed for extension of village populations.

It also specifies that even on private lands, there will be no monoculture plantation of exotics

like eucalyptus and existing plantations should be replaced by planting endemic species.

Therefore, even though, there is no detailed description of the ecological problems of coffee, the

implication of this recommendation is that all plantations would have to be replaced with

natural forests in the foreseeable future. This is clearly unacceptable to the plantationowners.

Page 75/175 of Report Vol.1 page 49 : The vegetation attains its luxuriant development towards the

southern tip in Kerala, where rich tropical rain forests flourish. The commercially most important

species, teak, grows best in tracts of moderate rainfall where the natural vegetation consists of moist

deciduous forest. The commercial plantations of coffee, cardamom, tea, Acacia and Eucalyptus,

cashew, rubber, bananas, arecanut, coconut, etc. occupy large area and also make the forest landscape

highly mosaic.

Page 21/175; xviii : The States of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra have accepted

promotion of organic agricultural practices including phasing out of use of insecticides, promoting

ecological farming etc. They have, however, recommended incentives for farmers shifting to organic

farming including budgetary support.

P 325/407 volume 2 of Kasturirangan report : Green building materials consisting of green

technology and Building codes.

P 325/407 volume 2 of Kasturirangan report: Discourage cultivation of annual crops on slopes

exceeding 30%, where perennial crops ( meaning : lasting three seasons or more) should be

promoted.

Page 21/175; xviii of Volume 1 : The current rules of timber transit, which do not incentivize

forest production on private lands and community forestlands, should be reviewed and

revised. The Forest Rights Act’s categorization of minor forest produce, including bamboo

should be promoted to build forest-based local economies.

List of 123 villages from Kerala state: P 25- 27 : l volume 2 : kasturi rangan report

recommendation no 12

Appendix 3: List of Villages in ESA of the Western Ghats

(307 polygons did not have an entry in the name field in the Survey of India layer. These

polygons have been named as “—NoName—XXXX” and counted as a village. These names may

be finalized in consultation with the State Governments and Survey of India)

1740 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Marayoor

1741 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Keezhanthoor

1742 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Kannan Devan Hills

1743 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Kuttampuzha

1744 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Kottakamboor

1745 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Kanthalloor

1746 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Vattavada

1747 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Mankulam

1748 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Mannamkandam

1749 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Pallivasal

1750 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Anaviratty

1751 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Kunjithanny

1752 Kerala Idukki Devikulam Vellathuval

1753 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Upputhara

1754 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Kumily

1755 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Manjumala

1756 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Periyar

1757 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Kokkayar

1758 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Peerumade

1759 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Mlappara

1760 Kerala Idukki Peerumade Peruvanthanam

1761 Kerala Idukki Thodupuzha Kanjikuzhi

1762 Kerala Idukki Thodupuzha Udumbannoor

1763 Kerala Idukki Thodupuzha Idukki (Part)

1764 Kerala Idukki Thodupuzha Arakkulam

1765 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Chinnakanal

1766 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Baisonvally

1767 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Rajakumari

1768 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Poopara

1769 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Rajakkad

1770 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Konnathady

1771 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Santhanpara

1772 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Kanthippara

1773 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Vathikudy

1774 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Chathurangapara

1775 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Udumbanchola

1776 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Upputhode

1777 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Parathodu

1778 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Kalkoonthal

1779 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Thankamony (Part)

1780 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Ayyappancoil

1781 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Pampadumpara

1782 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Kattappana

1783 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Karunapuram

1784 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Vandanmedu

1785 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Anakkara

1786 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Anavilasam

1787 Kerala Idukki Udumbanchola Chakkupallam

1788 Kerala Kannur Thalassery Aralam

1789 Kerala Kannur Thalassery Kottiyoor

1790 Kerala Kannur Thalassery Cheruvanchery

1791 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Punnala

1792 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Piravanthur

1793 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Edamon

1794 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Thenmala

1795 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Arienkavu

1796 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Thinkalkarikkakom

1797 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Kulathupuzha

1798 Kerala Kollam Pathanapuram Channappetta

1799 Kerala Kottayam Kanjirappally Koottickal

1800 Kerala Kottayam Meenachil Melukavu

1801 Kerala Kottayam Meenachil Teekoy

1802 Kerala Kottayam Meenachil Poonjar Thekkekara

1803 Kerala Kozhikode Kozhikode Kedavur

1804 Kerala Kozhikode Kozhikode Puthuppadi

1805 Kerala Kozhikode Kozhikode NellipoyilEHT

1806 Kerala Kozhikode Kozhikode Kodencheri

1807 Kerala Kozhikode Kozhikode Thiruvambadi

1808 Kerala Kozhikode Quilandy Chempanoda

1809 Kerala Kozhikode Quilandy Rikkattapatta

1810 Kerala Kozhikode Vadakara Thinoor

1811 Kerala Kozhikode Vadakara Kavilumpara

1812 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Chungathara

1813 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Kurumbilangode

1814 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Vazhikkadavu

1815 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Akampadam

1816 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Karulai

1817 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Amarambalam

1818 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Chekkode

1819 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Kalikavu

1820 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Kerala Estate

1821 Kerala Malappuram Nilambur Karuvarakundu

1822 Kerala Palakkad Alathur Kizhakkencheri-I

1823 Kerala Palakkad Chittur Muthalamada-I

1824 Kerala Palakkad Chittur Muthalamada-II

1825 Kerala Palakkad Chittur Nelliyampathy

1826 Kerala Palakkad Mannarkad Pudur

1827 Kerala Palakkad Mannarkad Padavayal

1828 Kerala Palakkad Mannarkad Agali

1829 Kerala Palakkad Mannarkad Kottathara

1830 Kerala Palakkad Mannarkad Kallamala

1831 Kerala Palakkad Mannarkad Sholayur

1832 Kerala Palakkad Mannarkad Palakkayam

1833 Kerala Palakkad Palakkad Puthuppariyaram-I

1834 Kerala Palakkad Palakkad Malampuzha-I

1835 Kerala Palakkad Palakkad Pudussery East

1836 Kerala Pathanamthitta Kozhenchery Thannithode

1837 Kerala Pathanamthitta Kozhenchery Aruvappulam

1838 Kerala Pathanamthitta Ranni Chittar-Seethathodu

1839 Kerala Pathanamthitta Ranni Kollamula

1840 Kerala Pathanamthitta Ranni Perunad

1841 Kerala Pathanamthitta Ranni Vadasserikkara

1842 Kerala Thiruvananthap* Nedumangad Peringamala

1843 Kerala Thiruvananthap* Nedumangad Thennoor

1844 Kerala Thiruvananthap* Nedumangad Vithura

1845 Kerala Thiruvananthap* Nedumangad Mannoorkara

1846 Kerala Thiruvananthap* Neyyattinkara Vazhichal

1847 Kerala Thiruvananthap* Neyyattinkara Kallikkad

1848 Kerala Thiruvananthap* Neyyattinkara Amboory

1849 Kerala Thrissur Mukundapuram Pariyaram

1850 Kerala Wayanad Mananthavady Thirunelly

1851 Kerala Wayanad Mananthavady Thrissilery

1852 Kerala Wayanad Mananthavady Periya

1853 Kerala Wayanad Mananthavady Thondernad

1854 Kerala Wayanad Sulthanbathery Kidanganad

1855 Kerala Wayanad Sulthanbathery Noolpuzha

1856 Kerala Wayanad Vythiri Thariyode

1857 Kerala Wayanad Vythiri Achooranam

1858 Kerala Wayanad Vythiri Pozhuthana

1859 Kerala Wayanad Vythiri Kottappadi (Part)

1860 Kerala Wayanad Vythiri Chundale

1861 Kerala Wayanad Vythiri Kunnathidavaka

1862 Kerala Wayanad Vythiri Vellarimala

ESA Villages - the omissions which makes the kasturirangan report a manipulated

report.

1. Methodology section says : Population density of <100 persons/km' (as per Census, 2001l;

why census data 2011 was not used ? ) used as the cut-off for identifying the ESAs. Sample

village ( Mudigere) is a sparsely populated village on the rainshadow side of the dry

north western ghats close to shimoga. Terrain is entirely different . If population density of

<100 persons/km is the main yardstick, methodology is not applicable in a thickly populated

state like Kerala in the moist South Western Ghats ( no other state has this disadvantage).

Wayanad district is with more than 350/ persons/km2 ; Idikki district is is with population

density of 265/ persons/km2

2. Reasons for exempting Vagamon/Elapally/Kudayathoor which are mountain belts with

huge rocks and grassland and not thickly populated are exempted ; its common knowledge all

these regions have been brought out different groups. In contrast how come a low lying rubber

plantations belt like ARAKULAM and MELUKAVU ON both sides of the

Vagamon/Elapally/Kudayathoor ( elavizha punchira) hills are in the list. All these are thickly

populated areas since 1920s with 2nd

and 3rd

generation farmers and where is the forests here?

3. Kakkadampoyil in the malapuram district known as the Ooty of Malabar is not in the list.

4. Rubber belt Melukavu in Kottayam district in the list ; mountain and quarry belt

Moonilavu exempted .

5. Vythiri village close to Lakkidi in Wayanad region is exempted.

6. Villages like quarry rich Kizhakkoth, Kodiyathur,Koduvally

(OG),Koodaranji,Koodathayi, Kakkadampoyil regions with 50- 60-quarries exempted

whereas surroundings villages and rubber belts like Nellipoyil-

kodencherry/puduppadi/thiruvamapady are listed. All these are thickly populated areas

since 1940s with 2nd and 3rd generation farmers and where is the forests here?

7. Malappuram region : Rubber belts like kalikavu, karuvarukundu, nilambur, vazhikadavu

villages close to silent vally from the Manjeri side of silent vally national park are in the

list. Most surprisingly the hilly terrain of Kakkadampoyil is not in the list.

8. Palakkad region : villages around silent valley in the Mannarghat Taluk/isde close to

silent vally – Allanallur-1; II, III,; Kottopadam 1-II-III, Kumaraputhur, Kalladikode

and Mannarghat 1 are exempted. those in the manjeri region – kalikavu, karuvarukundu,

nilambur, vazhikadavu ; and agali, palakayam are in the 123 lists.

9. Why no Malayalam version is made available to the public ?

10. Below given text is the report of Commodity boards - coffee, rubber, cardamom, pepper and

spices boards. It is totally ignored in the Kasturirangn report.

kasturi Rangan report Vol 2 : Commodity boards - coffee, rubber, cardamom, pepper,

spices boards and their views (Page 371 of PDF file ; no page numbers in annexure & towards the end

of the report ): Malalayalam translation of the following part is easy to refer.