Centre issues ultimatum to states on Kasturirangan report

Thiruvananthapuram: The Central government has issued an ultimatum to the states to submit its opinion on the implementation of the Kasturirangan report on the conservation of Western Ghats.

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javedkar told a Malayalam news channel that the state’s opinions should be submitted this month itself and the Centre would not further extend the deadline.

The Central government had issued a draft notification on the Kasturirangan report on March 10, 2014 and asked the states to submit its opinion on the implementation of the report.

The Kerala government has already informed its stand on the report. However, many states are yet to respond to the Centre’s direction.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Environment and Forests Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the Centre’s ultimatum would not affect Kerala as it already submitted its report.

“We have already submitted our report to the Centre,” he said.