Panel report on Ghat protection by March

February 16, 2011

Mangalore, February 16: The Western Ghats ecology expert panel, constituted by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the Western Ghats Task Force will publish the draft notification of the public consultation on ecologically sensitive areas of the Western Ghats by March end this year on its website.

Vidya Nayak, member of the expert panel, told media persons after the meeting here on Monday that after getting the required feedback, the final report will be submitted to MoEF by May or June this year. The expert panel was constituted in March last year.

The panel will assess the current status of the ecology of the Western Ghats region, demarcation of areas within the region to be notified as ecologically sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, as also to recommend modalities for establishment of the Western Ghats Ecology Authority under the Environment (Protection) Act.

Nayak said zones have to be demarcated in the ghats and modalities worked out so there is no conflict among stakeholders. The panel will hold public consultation at four places namely Sirsi, Mnagalore, Mysore and Sringeri, of which the first two have been completed as on Monday.

The expert group has to make recommendations for the conservation, protection and rejuvenation of the Western Ghats region following a comprehensive consultation process involving people and governments of all the states have to suggest measures for effective implementation of the notifications issued by the MoEF declaring specific areas in the Western Ghats as eco sensitive zones under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 among others.

It also has to recommend the modalities for the establishment of Western Ghats Ecology Authority under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 which will be a professional body to manage the ecology of the region and to ensure its sustainable development.

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Mangaluru’s KPT becomes India’s first autonomous govt polytechnic

News Network

January 23,2026

Mangaluru: The Karnataka Government Polytechnic (KPT), Mangaluru, has achieved autonomous status from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), becoming the first government polytechnic in the country to receive such recognition in its 78-year history. The status was granted by AICTE, New Delhi, and subsequently approved by the Karnataka Board of Technical Education in October last year.

Officials said the autonomy was conferred a few months ago. Until recently, AICTE extended autonomous status only to engineering colleges, excluding diploma institutions. However, with a renewed national focus on skill development, several government polytechnics across India have now been granted autonomy.

KPT, the second-largest polytechnic in Karnataka, was established in 1946 with four branches and has since expanded to offer eight diploma programmes, including computer science and polymer technology. The institution is spread across a 19-acre campus.

Ravindra M Keni, the first dean of the institution, told The Times of India that AICTE had proposed autonomous status for polytechnic institutions that are over 25 years old. “Many colleges applied. In the first round, 100 institutions were shortlisted, which was further narrowed down to 15 in the second round. We have already completed one semester after becoming an autonomous institution,” he said. He added that nearly 500 students are admitted annually across eight three-year diploma courses.

Explaining the factors that helped KPT secure autonomy, Keni said the institution has consistently recorded 100 per cent admissions and placements for its graduates. He also noted its strong performance in sports, with the college emerging champions for 12 consecutive years, along with active student participation in NCC and NSS activities.

Autonomous status allows KPT to design industry-oriented curricula, conduct examinations, prepare question papers, and manage academic documentation independently. The institution can also directly collaborate with industries and receive priority funding from AICTE or the Ministry of Education. While academic autonomy has been granted, financial control will continue to rest with the state government.

“There will be separate committees for examinations, question paper setting, boards of studies, and boards of examiners. The institution will now have the freedom to conduct admissions without government notifications and issue its own marks cards,” Keni said, adding that new academic initiatives would be planned after a year of functioning under the autonomous framework.

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