Thousands of farmers in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district blocked the Sringeri State Highway on Sunday, demanding that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar meet them and hear their concerns about the proposed implementation of the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats.
The farmers walked nearly 10 km from Sangameshwara Pete to Balehonnur, where Shivakumar was due to attend the convention. They blocked the road and raised slogans against the Kasturirangan's recommendations.
The protest took place as Karnataka lined up for a three-day special legislative session beginning September 21. The session has been convened to discuss the Kasturirangan report and the drought affecting a number of parts of the state.
Farmers Insist On Meeting CM
The protesters remained on the highway and insisted that Shivakumar visit the protest site before they would withdraw the blockade.
According to The New Indian Express, farmers had been waiting in the sun since early morning. Shivakumar’s helicopter landed at a helipad near Rambhapuri Mutt in the afternoon, but the Chief Minister visited the mutt first to seek the blessing of the seer. That delayed his arrival at the convention.
The farmers continued their protest during the delay and warned that the road blockade would go on until the Chief Minister met them.
The best thing about DKS is that he listens to people. ❤️
— Gk (@Ggk_here_) September 19, 2026
Y'day in Karkala, around 1,500 farmers came together to meet CM D.K. Shivakumar and submit their requests. He patiently heard them and immediately asked MLC Manjunath Bhandary to follow up and ensure the issues are taken… pic.twitter.com/Jbx95JXMtD
When Shivakumar reached the venue finally, he met the protesting farmers and attempted to address their concerns.
The Chief Minister said he came in with an open mind to hear the farmers' views and give appropriate responses during the Assembly session. He also said he would work towards the betterment of farmers and to bring good changes to their economy and their lives.
What is the Kasturirangan Report issue?
The protest centers on the Kasturirangan Committee recommendations about ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued its seventh draft notification on July 27, 2026. The draft has proposed 20,668 square kilometres of 1,576 villages in 33 taluks in 10 districts of Karnataka to be declared as an Ecologically Sensitive Area. The districts include Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Hassan, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Mysuru, Belagavi and Chamarajanagar.
Farmers and other residents in the affected regions have raised concerns about how restrictions associated with ESA status could affect agriculture, livelihoods and development activity.
The Karnataka government has also expressed concerns about the impact on people living in and around the Western Ghats. Shivakumar recently said the state would not take a quick and unilateral decision about the matter and that local residents and farmers would be listened to before a final position is taken.
The Centre has given Karnataka until September 27 to submit its objections to the draft notification. This deadline is one of the reasons the state has convened the special legislative session starting September 21.
Karnataka government to discuss report in Special Session.
The three-day special session of the Karnataka legislature will be especially focused on the Kasturirangan report on its opening day.
The state government has said that it will consider farmers, elected representatives and other stakeholders as well before issuing its response to the Centre.
Shivakumar has already had discussions with people and elected representatives in many Western Ghats districts like Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Udupi, Hassan and Kodagu. At a meeting in Sakleshpur, he said the government was concerned about the livelihoods of people living on the fringes of the Western Ghats.
The government has also maintained that it has previously opposed implementation of the Kasturirangan recommendations in their proposed form.
In the meantime, The New Indian Express has reported that all the major political parties in Karnataka are against the notification and that farmers and residents have fears over it. A resolution against the notification will be debated in the special session.
Drought in rural areas is putting farmers’ fears in farmers’ minds.
The Kasturirangan dispute also comes at a time when farmers in many parts of Karnataka have drought-related issues as well.
The session will also be about the state’s drought situation, crop loss, water shortages and relief measures and assistance from the Centre.
According to the state government, 124 taluks have been declared drought-hit after ground-level assessments. The government has also expressed that drinking water shortages and support for affected farmers have been taken up.
The drought problem has become a point of dispute between the ruling Congress and opposition parties. Opposition leaders have called for more compensation and greater financial assistance for farmers, while the government has said it is assessing conditions and seeking central assistance.
The Kasturirangan report and drought crisis are therefore expected to dominate the special legislative session.
Farmers are still trying to find out the Western Ghats rules.
For farmers in Chikkamagaluru and other Western Ghats districts, the immediate concern remains the possible impact of the proposed environmental restrictions on their existing livelihoods.
The government has tried to reassure residents that whatever decision has been taken will be taken up in consultation with residents to hear them out before any decision is made. Shivakumar has also indicated that the state will not go forward with unilateral action on the sensitive issue.
The farmers' highway blockade in Balehonnur shows the continuing pressure on the state government to directly address these concerns with affected communities.
Because the special session starts on September 21 and the Centre's deadline for objections is on September 27, discussions in the Karnataka legislature will determine the state's formal response to the latest draft notification.
For the farmers who blocked the Sringeri highway, however, the immediate demand was more concrete: they were calling on the Chief Minister to meet them, hear their voices and to understand the uncertainty regarding the future of agriculture and livelihoods in the Western Ghats region.
