What is Karnataka’s objection to the ESA?, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Karnataka Legislature unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the K. Kasturirangan Committee report on the Western Ghats in its current form.
• This rejection is against the seventh draft by the Ministry of Environment, Ecology and Climate Change to declare parts of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
• Karnataka has the largest area, 20,668 sq. km across 1,576 villages, proposed to be notified as ESA among the six Western Ghats states.
• The state has sought a one-year period to conduct a physical survey and has formed a high-level committee to review the report's shortcomings.

Western Ghats.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• The K. Kasturirangan Committee (High Level Working Group - HLWG) was constituted in 2012 to review the earlier Madhav Gadgil Committee (Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel - WGEEP) report.
• The Kasturirangan report recommended declaring 59,940 sq. km of the Western Ghats as ESA, covering 4,156 villages across six states.
• It proposes a ban on activities like mining, quarrying, sand extraction, setting up red-category industries, and construction of buildings beyond 20,000 square metres.
• Karnataka argues that ESA notification should be limited to notified forest areas and other forest areas, excluding plantations, agriculture, and residential zones.
• The state contends that the demarcation of ESA was based on satellite data and not through a joint physical survey, leading to inaccuracies.
• Karnataka is advocating for a model similar to Kerala, where a ground survey was conducted to finalize the ESA boundaries.
• Concerns include potential restrictions on agricultural practices, housing, and daily activities, which could impact local livelihoods.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Western Ghats: A mountain range along India's western coast, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a global biodiversity hotspot.
• Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA): Geographically delineated areas with high ecological value, declared under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to regulate activities.
• K. Kasturirangan Committee: A High-Level Working Group (HLWG) tasked with recommending measures for the protection of the fragile Western Ghats.
• Madhav Gadgil Committee: The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) that first recommended the entire Western Ghats be designated as an ESA.