Mangalore, 7 Jul 2014: The former Karnataka minister and Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje urged the union government to withdraw the ban on areca, in order to safeguard the interests of areca growers of coastal Karnataka.
Addressing the media persons at BJP office here on Sunday July 6, MP Shobha said that no scientific research was able to prove that the products made out of arecanut are bad for the health. It is the tobacco that is harmful to health had to be banned.
MP Shobha further said that 5 MPs from 6 districts of the areca growing region have met the union agriculture minister and urged to withdraw the ban in the hearing of the Supreme Court on July 16 and July 17 in this regard.
MP Shobha also said that a Committee of experts have been formed of undivided Dakshina Kannada district to address the grievances of areca growers and also complete the long pending development works in both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. One among the major issues is the sea erosion which has affected many in this region. Professor Deepika Shetty of Manipal University who has studied the construction of paramagnet preventive wall in western countries has been asked to present a PowerPoint presentation of the master plan to prevent the sea erosion, said MP Shobha.
Regarding the implementation of Kasturi Rangan Report, MP Shobha said, ‘We have already briefed union environment minister about the Supreme Ccourt’s guidelines that the report has to be discussed in the village councils and they themselves got to suggest the final solution.
Meanwhile, MP Shobha urged the union government in order to relax CRZ rules in Karnataka.
MP Shobha said, ‘The CRZ rules are hampering the lives of the fishermen as they are not able to implement developmental activities. Therefore, the union government should intervene and grant relaxation as they have given to Kerala and Goa.
Dakshina Kannada district MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLC Bhanu Praksh, MLC Captain Ganesh Karnik, district BJP president Pratapsimha Nayak were present at the media conference.