controversy has dogged Karnataka's Kudremukh National Park time and again. The most recent row revolves around the view that the declaration of the area as a national park may actually be invalid.

Letters to the state revenue department by the assistant commissioners (acs) of Puttur, Kundapur and Chikmagalur confirm that as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, orders for settling the claims of the people on the park have not been passed to date. The act mentions that to notify a national park, it is essential that the rights of the people be settled. The Chikmagalur ac, in a letter dated June 20, 2002, to the principal secretary of the state's revenue department has accepted that no orders had been passed under section 24(1) of the act admitting or rejecting any claims. Significantly, the Kundapur and Puttur acs have also admitted to such a