Sun Jun 22 14:06:38 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Kappatagudda Sanctuary Gains Eco-Sensitive Zone Status; Activists Call for Mining Proposal Rejection**

**HUBBALLI, June 22, 2025** – The Union Ministry has officially designated 423.7 sq km surrounding the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gadag district, Karnataka, as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). The final notification was issued on June 4th.

The Samaj Parivartana Samudaya (SPS) and National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) have offered a cautious welcome to the development. Founder-President S.R. Hiremath announced plans to convene an in-depth discussion with key stakeholders, including the seer of the Gadag Tontdarya Mutt, who has been instrumental in leading the opposition to mining activities and advocating for the protection of the sanctuary’s unique ecosystem.

“While we welcome this notification, we feel in-depth discussion is needed,” Mr. Hiremath said, emphasizing the importance of engaging all concerned parties.

The Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary, spanning 244.15 sq km across four taluks of Gadag, has been at the center of a long-standing debate over proposed mining activities. The SPS and NCPNR plan to use the upcoming meeting to strategize on pressuring the Karnataka government to permanently abandon 18 pending mining proposals within the ESZ.

The meeting will also acknowledge the decade-long people’s movement spearheaded by the Tontadarya Mutt and various organizations, and will delve into the government’s expected zonal master plan preparation in consultation with local communities and stakeholders.

In related news, a book chronicling the resistance of the Indian diaspora in the United States against Indira Gandhi’s authoritarian rule during the Emergency, titled “The Conscience Network: A chronicle of resistance to a dictatorship,” by Sugata Srinivasraju, is scheduled to be released in Bengaluru on July 4th.

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