Environmentalists from different organisations have come together on a common forum to clear the air on UNESCO World Heritage Site after the fiasco during the visit of the IUCN officials.
They have addressed the following points contrary to what certain political and non-political organisations opposed to the UNESCO world heritage site feel about the proposal;
- Only the State governments in the country which have the right to decide on policies pertaining to land acquisition and revenue matters.
- The proposal is confined to three thick forests and two reserve forests and the legal rights of the people living in these areas and on the borders will not be taken away.
- The report submitted by the Centre to UNESCO has not made any mention on curbing the rights of the citizens of using the land for agriculture, coffee production, pasture, road laying etc.
- This is the proposal of the Central government and not of the environmentalists.
- The idea was including the Western ghats in the world heritage list was the dream of former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
- If the sanctuaries are included in the Hertiage List, it will help to solve the Man-Elephant Conflict in Coorg.
- Those who are opposed to the proposal are supposedly politically motivated with vested interest to do so.
With Inputs from Deccan Herald. For more click here.