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Western Ghats: Eco-Sensitive Zone Stalemate Continues
1 Aug
Summary
- Western Ghats draft notification covers 56,825 sq km across six states.
- Mining and polluting industries are banned in proposed eco-sensitive zones.
- Disagreements between states and the Centre stall final declaration.
A significant portion of the Western Ghats, spanning 56,825.7 square kilometers across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, is awaiting final declaration as an ecologically sensitive area (ESA). The latest draft notification, the seventh iteration, has been delayed due to persistent disagreements between the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the concerned state governments. Key restrictions proposed include a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining, along with phasing out existing mines within five years. The draft also recommends prohibiting new thermal power plants and 'red' category polluting industries within these zones.
Previous efforts to establish ESAs in the Western Ghats include the 2010 Madhav Gadgil committee, which proposed declaring the entire region as ESA, and the subsequent 2012 Kasturirangan panel, which suggested a 60,000 sq km area. The current deadlock has led the Centre to extend the tenure of an expert committee formed in April 2022, tasked with examining state views and conservation aspects. The formation of these zones is legally supported by the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, aiming to act as 'shock absorbers' for protected areas and a transition zone for conservation.
