Karnataka heritage vs livelihood: Anxiety in Coffee Land

IIPM Mumbai Campus

Will the Western ghats find a place in World Heritage list?

The Karnataka government and several environmentalists might have long been striving to get a World Heritage Site tag for some ecological hotspots in the Western Ghats, but the coffee planters and some local politicians are against the move. The tug-of war has been on since 2003 when the environmentalists urged the state government to approach the UNESCO to get the World Heritage Site tag for Pushpagiri, Talacauvery and Brahmagiri forests. Recently when a two-member UNESCO team visited Coorg for the final study of the proposed areas, the planters staged demonstrations in protest. The reason behind the resentment is said to be the notion that the heritage tag would eventually snatch their means of livelihood. The operational guidelines for the implementation of World Heritage Convention deem human use of some properties inappropriate. The local people, especially in the planters, fear that it could mean the snatching away of thousands of acres of coffee plantations from them.

The central government too in 2003 submitted a proposal to UNESCO requesting for the heritage tag for nine regions in Karnataka including 39 hotspots in the Western Ghats. The UNESCO subsequently constituted a team for studying the proposed areas that visited the areas several times and the recent one was the last round of the procedure. The previous visits did not face any protest as they were kept secret.

However, a section of people thinks that the World Heritage site tag would not harm the interests of the locals. K.M. Chinnappa, a retired forest ranger tells TSI, “The timber mafia is behind these protests as the heritage tag would force the government to protect the forest and it would affect their illegal timber business.” He added, “Rather, the World Heritage tag would help protect our rich ecology.”

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KARNATAKA CONTROVERSY: Fight of the titans

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Governor accuses V-C of undermining his authority

Relations between governor of Karnataka Hans Raj Bharadwaj and vice-chancellor of the University of Mysore V.G. Talawar has hit a new low. When Talawar went to receive the governor at the Government House in Mysore last week, Bharadwaj flared up. He said: 'I don't want you to welcome me. Are you above the chancellor? You don't even obey the state government's order. I thought you were a sensible person, but not so. You are even worse than a politician.'

Stumped by his gesture, Talawar offered an olive branch by tendering apology. But the governor, who is also chancellor of the university, didn't budge and continued his tirade against the V-C. He said: 'I will never come to the University of Mysore. I have been a parliamentarian for thirty years and I will tell the Prime Minister not to grant funds to the university.'

Earlier, relations between the two was cordial. But things deteriorated after a corruption charge against former vice-chancellor of the University of Mysore Dr. J. Shashidhar Prasad surfaced. The governor showed no interest in taking action against Prasad. However, Talawar wanted Prasad to be punished. This created tensions between them to such an extent that the governor of the state accused Talawar of undermining his authority.

Prasad has been facing allegations of rampant corruption and irregularities in the recruitment made during his tenure between 2003 and 2007. Following complaints, the government appointed an inquiry commission, headed by former High Court judge Rangavittalachar, to probe into the alleged violation of norms. In June 2010, the panel submitted its report. It held Prasad guilty of violating the roster and filling the vacancies reserved for SC/STs and backward communities with people from other castes, which is punishable offence. Following the indictment, the government directed the current V-C that is Talawar to initiate criminal proceedings against Prasad. But governor Bharadwaj came to Prasad's rescue. He dispatched a letter of disapproval saying that it would be illegal under the University Act to take action against the former V-C. After that no action was taken against Prasad.

Exasperated with the governor's intervention, Vishwavidyalaya Ulisi Horata Samiti (Struggle Committee to Save University), backed by various political parties and student organisations, launched an agitation on the campus. Thousands of protesting students laid siege to the Crawford Hall, administrative building of the University of Mysore demanding legal action against Prasad. Coming under pressure, V-C Talawar assured them of taking up the issue in the special Syndicate meeting. This irked governor Bharadwaj. He said: 'You (Talawar) are setting the students against me to insult me.'

This was not the end of the story. More people jumped in. Prasad's father, a well-known writer and the former vice-chancellor of the University of Mysore, De. Javaregauada, popularly known as DeJaGau, staged a-day-long fast protesting against any action against his son. Earlier, he had also said that there were no irregularities and corruption in the recruitment. But, later on he softened his stand as he too was criticised. 'Irregularities must have taken place, but my son is not the only one responsible for that,' he said. The power struggle between the governor and the V-C continues unabated.

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