Western Ghats Conservation With Science And Dialogue, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its rich biodiversity, spans six Indian states.
• The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), chaired by Madhav Gadgil in 2010, recommended declaring 142 talukas as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
• Following opposition, the K. Kasturirangan-led High-Level Working Group (2012) reduced the proposed ESA area to 37% of the Western Ghats.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued five draft ESA notifications since 2014, with the latest expert panel's tenure extended until July 2027.
• States like Karnataka consistently oppose the ESA declaration, citing potential impacts on agriculture, mining, and infrastructure development.

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Detailed Insights:

• The WGEEP report proposed sub-dividing the ESA into three Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ) for graded regulation of human activities.
• Notification under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, would provide legal protection to the ESA regions, regulating activities to protect fragile ecosystems.
• The Kasturirangan report aimed to limit restrictions on economic activities and livelihoods to ecologically sensitive natural landscapes.
• An expert panel under Sanjay Kumar was constituted in 2022 to examine and address concerns raised by stakeholder states regarding the ESA notification.
• Gujarat and Goa have reportedly agreed to the finalization of the ESA notification, while Maharashtra has sought a fresh review.
• A "phased rollout" or "State-wise finalization" is being considered for the 2024 draft notification to address state-specific concerns.
• Local communities express concerns over reliance on satellite imagery for ESA identification, fearing misclassification of plantation crops as forest cover.
• Indigenous communities living deep within forests are crucial for conservation efforts and should be included in ESA frameworks due to their sustainable practices.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP): A committee formed in 2010 under Madhav Gadgil to recommend conservation measures for the Western Ghats.
• Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA): Geographically delineated areas with high biodiversity, declared under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, to regulate activities.
• High-Level Working Group (HLWG): A committee formed in 2012 under K. Kasturirangan to review the WGEEP recommendations and propose a revised ESA framework.
• Environment Protection Act, 1986: A comprehensive law in India that provides for the protection and improvement of the environment.