Green Minute News:
In a heartrending situation, environmentalist Akhilesh Kumar Chipli has asked for permission to give up his life for the cause of Western Ghats. Hailing from Sagar taluk, Shivamogga district, Karnataka, Chipli is a dedicated, committed environmentalist, working on restoration of water bodies and has been campaigning for decades for protection of Western Ghats.
He has written to the Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court regarding this matter and said he had failed to convince both the state and Central governments for protection of the Western Ghats.
Being one of the eight hottest hotspots of biological diversity in the world, the Western Ghats is home to more than 5000 species of flowering plants, 139 mammal species, 508 bird species and 179 amphibian species.
Karnataka is home to 60 per cent of the Western Ghats range area and it becomes imperative for the governments to protect it as it is severely fragmented and encroached in the districts of Shivamogga, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Udupi, Uttar Kannada and Dakshin Kannada.
Presently, due to rampant diversion of its forest ranges for linear structures, developmental and infrastructure projects, it has resulted in severe ecological damages. In fact, this has impacted India’s major watershed as it drains almost 40 per cent land area of the country.
In the background of this issue, Climate and Power expert Shankar Sharma from Sagar taluk has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene.
He said, “Whereas it is a joyous occasion for most people in welcoming the new year, I am sad to bring to your kind attention a heart-wrenching representation to the Supreme Court by Akhilesh Kumar Chipli living at Sagar. He has appealed for permission for mercy-killing due to desperation in not being able to persuade the authorities to adequately protect the Western Ghats and its wildlife.”
The representation by Chipli indicates a grave ecological scenario that is fast emerging in our country. Sharma adds, “Few people like me who are also equally concerned about the poor status of the natural environment in the country, may be able to persuade Chipli not to take any drastic step. He may have reached a critical point in his life, and is desperate to do something or persuade our authorities to become rational and sensitive to the calamitous threats from climate change. It will be a sad day for the whole country even if one person takes such extreme measures.”
In fact, there have been multiple representations by Chipli to the concerned authorities on the associated concerns during the last decade. But he has not elicited any courtesy of any acknowledgement or any kind of response from the authorities or even the apex court. Further, successive governments in Karnataka continue with unsustainable exploitation of Western Ghats, its rare and precious natural resources, including that of forests, hills, mountains, freshwater bodies, forest streams, tributaries, etc.
Some of these forest diversions in Western Ghats have been cited in the Forest Survey reports while the exploitations are also reported to be even escalating despite multiple reports/ warnings from global scientific bodies such as UNEP, UNFCCC, IPCC etc.
And what happened in the Western Ghats of Wayanad, Kerala (the 2024 massive landslides and flooding) is not surprising with rampant, unsustainable developmental and construction activities that have been taking place – resulting in deforestation, land-use changes and improper drainage.
In fact, the highlights of SFR (State of Forest Report) 2023 is: Over 46,000 sq km forest has turned into non-forest lands in 10 years. Further forest cover of eight mountain states has come down in 2 years.
Forest cover of eight mountain states has come down in 2 years. Added to this, Western Ghats lost 58 sq km of forest cover since 2013. There has been large scale destruction of forest wealth in ESAs. Further, forest loss: here numbers can’t cover it and this should lead the associated questioning of the claim by SFR 2023 that the overall forest cover in the country has increased.
Shankar Sharma appeals, “May I also hope that the kind of desperation/ helplessness evident in the representation of Akhilesh Chipli is not ignored any longer by or authorities, and that the effective actions plans will be put in place before the loss of any precious lives are reported?”