Sringeri in Chikkamagaluru district observed a bandh on Monday, September 21, 2026, over opposition to the proposed implementation of the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats. Farmer organisations and other local groups called for the shutdown from 6 am to 6 pm, with shops and several other establishments closed. Essential services such as hospitals, medical shops and milk outlets were expected to remain open.
The protest comes as Karnataka’s legislature begins a three-day special session from September 21 to 23 to discuss the Western Ghats issue and the state’s response to the Centre’s latest draft notification.
Why are farmers protesting?
The central concern is the possible designation of parts of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) under a draft notification based on the Kasturirangan committee’s recommendations.
Farmers and residents in the Malnad region say that additional environmental restrictions could affect agriculture, plantations, construction, roads, tourism and other livelihood-related activities. Protesters are also seeking clearer information about exactly which villages and land parcels would be covered and what restrictions would apply.
The protesters’ position is that regulations designed to protect the Western Ghats should not unintentionally restrict the livelihoods of people who already live and farm there.
What does the Kasturirangan proposal actually seek?
The Kasturirangan committee submitted its report in 2013 after examining the earlier Gadgil committee recommendations for the Western Ghats.
The current dispute concerns the seventh draft notification issued by the Union environment ministry on July 27, 2026. In Karnataka, the proposal covers about 20,668 sq km, spanning numerous taluks and villages across 10 districts. The Centre has given the state until September 27 to submit its objections or views.
The draft proposes restrictions including a ban on mining and quarrying and on certain highly polluting/red-category industries within the proposed ESA. At the same time, the draft states that ordinary agriculture, plantation activities and the day-to-day livelihood activities of local communities would not be prohibited.
This distinction is important: farmers’ fears concern the possible practical and future effects of ESA status, while the draft itself does not propose a blanket ban on farming.
Why is Sringeri particularly sensitive?
Sringeri lies in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats, where forests, plantations, farmland and inhabited areas are closely interconnected.
Local farmer groups have argued that applying a uniform environmental framework to such inhabited areas could create difficulties for land use and economic activity. They are also demanding that Malnad receive recognition as a special agricultural zone, with policies that account for the region’s particular conditions.
Local reports say farmer organisations, including the Sringeri Kshetra Raitha Okkuta, supported the bandh, while traders and other groups joined the shutdown.
What is the Karnataka government saying?
The state government has said it is gathering views from farmers and residents before finalising Karnataka’s position.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has said the government will consider the views of people in affected areas and farmers before sending Karnataka’s response to the Centre. The government has also indicated that it intends to protect farmers’ interests while formulating its position.
The special legislative session beginning September 21 has therefore become an important part of the process. The state’s deadline for responding to the Centre is September 27.
What happens next?
The immediate sequence is:
- September 21: Sringeri bandh and beginning of Karnataka’s special legislative session.
- September 21–23: Legislative discussion on the Kasturirangan-related ESA proposal and other issues.
- By September 27: Karnataka is expected to submit its response to the Centre’s latest draft notification.
The key unresolved issue is therefore not simply whether the Western Ghats should be protected. The dispute is over where ESA boundaries should be drawn and how environmental restrictions should interact with farming, plantations, settlements and local economic activity.
The Sringeri bandh reflects the demand from affected communities for greater consideration of those local concerns before the proposed ESA framework is finalised.
