Karnataka Special Session to Oppose Kasturirangan Western Ghats Draft and Address Drought Crisis

The Karnataka state legislature is set to convene a three-day special session from September 21, 2026, dedicated exclusively to addressing two paramount issues: the Union government's draft notification on the Kasturirangan report regarding the Western Ghats and the worsening drought crisis across the state. The decision to call the adjourned sitting comes after legislative proceedings were disrupted during the monsoon session, leaving critical state matters unaddressed. A major focus of the session will be adopting a unified resolution opposing the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's seventh draft notification, which proposes designating 20,668 square kilometers of land in Karnataka across 10 districts—covering 33 taluks and nearly 1,450 villages—as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). Political parties, including the ruling Congress and opposition BJP and JD(S), share strong concerns that enforcing strict restrictions on agriculture, infrastructure, and local livelihoods will severely impact rural communities in the Malnad and coastal belts. Simultaneously, lawmakers will debate the state's escalating drought emergency. Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara indicated that over 200 taluks are expected to be officially declared drought-hit following phased assessments and ground-truthing. The legislature will evaluate farm losses, financial relief demands submitted to the Central government, and potential measures such as agricultural loan waivers and drinking water management to cushion rural populations from severe water stress.