BENGALURU: A group of environmentalists, activists, writers, journalists and public figures from Karnataka has written an open letter to Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, urging him to adopt a consistent stand on environmental issues and show the same commitment to Karnataka's ecology as Great Nicobar.
The letter, has been sent by actor and activist Chetan Ahimsa on behalf of 'Team Ahimsa' and has been endorsed by 30 signatories, including environmentalists, tribal leaders, conservationists, journalists, lawyers and film personalities.
At the outset, the signatories acknowledged LoP Gandhi's opposition to the Union government's Great Nicobar Island Project (GNIP), saying they respected his stand against ecological destruction and environmental risks posed by the project.
They said speaking up for fragile ecosystems and indigenous communities was an important responsibility for any public leader.
The letter urged LoP Gandhi to show the same urgency and commitment towards protecting Karnataka's forests, rivers and wildlife that he has demonstrated in opposing the Great Nicobar Island Project, asserting that leadership is measured by the willingness to confront difficult issues within one's own party.
"If the ecological destruction in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands deserves national outrage, then the same moral standard should apply everywhere including in states governed by your own party.
"That is why your silence on Karnataka's environmental crisis is so difficult to understand," the letter stated.
The signatories alleged that despite being in power for over three years, the government in Karnataka has continued to support projects that threaten forests, rivers, biodiversity and local communities.
The letter specifically highlighted three issues. First, it opposed the proposed Mekedatu Dam Project, describing it as one of the largest ecological threats facing Karnataka.
According to the signatories, the project would submerge around 12,350 acres of land, including parts of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and five villages.
They argued that it would fragment wildlife habitats, disrupt elephant corridors and permanently alter one of southern India's most ecologically significant river systems.
They also questioned the project's escalating cost, estimated between Rs 9,000 crore and Rs 14,000 crore, and asked whether it was the best long-term solution to Bengaluru's water requirements.
The second concern related to the State government's mining policy. The letter criticised the use of single-window clearances for mining approvals, alleging that the system weakens environmental scrutiny. The activists argued that development should not come at the expense of forests, groundwater, hills and rural communities.
The third issue was the proposed Bidadi Township Project, which they claimed would involve the acquisition of nearly 9,600 acres of fertile agricultural land.
The signatories said the project could put additional pressure on water resources, encourage unsustainable urban expansion and threaten food security. They described it as not merely a planning issue but an environmental justice issue.
The activists argued that environmental protection should not depend on political affiliations, stating that "Forests do not vote. Rivers do not recognise party symbols. Elephants do not distinguish between the BJP and the Congress."
The group also placed three demands before LoP Gandhi: To scrap the Mekedatu Dam project in favour of sustainable and eco-friendly water solutions for Bengaluru; abolish the single-window mechanism for mining approvals while strengthening action against illegal mining and increasing taxation on mining profits in line with Supreme Court judgments; and withdraw the proposed Bidadi Township Project, shifting development to non-fertile regions in central and northern Karnataka.
The memorandum was signed environmentalists Yellappa Reddy and Pandurang Hegde, Director and activist Kavitha Lankesh, actor Neetu Shetty, writer B.T. Lalitha Naik, journalist Rajaraman, lawyer K.N. Jagadish, activist Veerasangaiah and actor-activist Chetan Ahimsa, among others.
