<p>Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is one signature away from courting another controversy as there is a proposal before him seeking the removal of the wildlife sanctuary status to the Kappatagudda hills to pave way for gold mining there.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa is slated to chair the meeting of the state wildlife board Thursday where this is likely to come up.</p>.<p>A total of 17,872 hectares of land within Kappatagudda reserve forest in Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district was declared as a conservation reserve in 2017, following which it was notified as a wildlife sanctuary. This was challenged by a mining company in the division bench of High Court in June, this year.</p>.<p>According to sources, mining companies were lobbying with state government officials to secure permission for mining in the forests despite opposition from environmental groups and religious organisations.</p>.<p>“The companies are forcing the government’s hand by using the locals to file complaints against the Forest Department,” sources said.</p>.<p>Withdrawing wildlife sanctuary status may facilitate mining in the forest area, vindicating the attempts of companies trying to extract gold at Kappatagudda.</p>.<p>“There is a lot of pressure from mining companies to denotify the wildlife sanctuary status of Kappatagudda and the file is in front of the CM. Getting clearance at the state-level would ease the process of securing the required clearances from the Centre,” sources said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Shivakumar Swamiji of Nandiveri Mutt - who has protested against mining in the reserve in the past - has threatened to stage demonstrations to save one of the largest green pockets in north Karnataka. </p>.<p>It can be recalled that Baldota-owned Ramgad Minerals and Mining Ltd had conducted a survey on mineral deposits in the Hill almost two decades ago.</p>.<p>In 2017, Forest Department had refused to issue a no-objection certificate for gold mining in Kappatagudda, the biodiversity hot spot is also known as the Sahyadri of north Karnataka.</p>
<p>Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is one signature away from courting another controversy as there is a proposal before him seeking the removal of the wildlife sanctuary status to the Kappatagudda hills to pave way for gold mining there.</p>.<p>Yediyurappa is slated to chair the meeting of the state wildlife board Thursday where this is likely to come up.</p>.<p>A total of 17,872 hectares of land within Kappatagudda reserve forest in Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district was declared as a conservation reserve in 2017, following which it was notified as a wildlife sanctuary. This was challenged by a mining company in the division bench of High Court in June, this year.</p>.<p>According to sources, mining companies were lobbying with state government officials to secure permission for mining in the forests despite opposition from environmental groups and religious organisations.</p>.<p>“The companies are forcing the government’s hand by using the locals to file complaints against the Forest Department,” sources said.</p>.<p>Withdrawing wildlife sanctuary status may facilitate mining in the forest area, vindicating the attempts of companies trying to extract gold at Kappatagudda.</p>.<p>“There is a lot of pressure from mining companies to denotify the wildlife sanctuary status of Kappatagudda and the file is in front of the CM. Getting clearance at the state-level would ease the process of securing the required clearances from the Centre,” sources said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Shivakumar Swamiji of Nandiveri Mutt - who has protested against mining in the reserve in the past - has threatened to stage demonstrations to save one of the largest green pockets in north Karnataka. </p>.<p>It can be recalled that Baldota-owned Ramgad Minerals and Mining Ltd had conducted a survey on mineral deposits in the Hill almost two decades ago.</p>.<p>In 2017, Forest Department had refused to issue a no-objection certificate for gold mining in Kappatagudda, the biodiversity hot spot is also known as the Sahyadri of north Karnataka.</p>
