Shivamogga: To take stock of the damage caused by the heavy rains, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will be visiting Shivamogga on Sunday, August 19. This will be his first visit to the district after taking charge as the CM.
Revealing the travel plan, Shivammoga District President of Janata Dal (S) Manjunath Gowda said that the CM would be visiting Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga. He will hold a meeting with the deputy commissioner and discuss the initiatives taken up for the rescue and relief of the victims.
The CM will visit Thirthahalli and Hosanagara taluks that were most affected by the heavy downpour. Kumaraswamy is expected to announce suitable compensation for crops such as areca nut, pepper, rubber and corn that have been destroyed by the incessant rains, Gowda said.
Manjunath Gowda said that the district JDS would submit a request to the CM not to implement Kasturirangan Report on the Western Ghats. “A memorandum will be submitted to the central government via the CM”, he said.
“As per the report, industries cannot be within 10 km from the edge of the forest. Shettihalli forest is closer to Shivamogga city, we can’t construct an airport because Umblebailu is also closer to the forest. Implementing Kasturirangan report will hinder the development of the region and hence, we demand that the report needs to be changed,” he added.