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Western Ghats: 7th Draft Sparks State Objections
29 Jul
Summary
- Seventh draft designates 56,825 sq km as ecologically sensitive.
- Kerala and southern states object to proposed prohibitions.
- Phased notification aims to expedite the sensitive zone process.
The Indian government has issued its seventh draft notification concerning the Western Ghats ecologically sensitive area (ESA). This latest proposal aims to designate approximately 56,825 square kilometers across six states as a sensitive zone. The initiative has faced significant opposition from several southern states, most notably Kerala, which has voiced concerns that the proposed prohibitions could hinder local livelihoods.
The draft notification, released on a Monday, indicates that it will be considered for finalization after a 60-day public review period. To accelerate the designation process, a provision for phased ESA notification has been included, similar to previous drafts. This approach seeks to avoid the need for all six states to agree simultaneously.
The demarcation of the Western Ghats ESA has been a subject of discussion since August 2011, following a recommendation to declare it a "no-go zone." Despite multiple draft notifications since March 2014, including those in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, and the current one in 2024, the issue remains unresolved. The proposed areas include 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, over 9,993 sq km in Kerala, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, 1,461 sq km in Goa, and 449 sq km in Gujarat, with final area determination pending state recommendations.
