The Karnataka Government has been urged to take immediate steps to ensure the implementation of the joint forest planning and management (JEPM) programme which had been announced through a Government order on April 12, 1993. The forest management programme was to have been a "participatory scheme" for the "protection and development of forests with the participation of the people".A memorandum submitted to the Government by the Parisara Jagruthi Okkaoota of Belthangady has warned of an intense agitation at the level of each and every panchayat in the district if the local committees were not taken into confidence regarding forest manamgement schemes.