Govt prepares to notify Western Ghats eco sensitive areas in at least three states, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• The Centre is preparing to finalize and notify Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the Western Ghats region for at least three states.
• This decision comes 12 years after the first draft notification and after five revisions since the original 2014 draft.
• The demarcation is based on the 2013 recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan High-Level Working Group.
• Over 56,000 square kilometers of land across six states are proposed to be demarcated as ESA.

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Detailed Insights:

• The Western Ghats span six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• Disagreements with state governments, particularly Kerala, have delayed the final notification of ESA boundaries.
• The Kasturirangan Committee Report recommended that 37% of the Western Ghats be designated as ESA.
• The notification aims to regulate activities like mining, quarrying, and polluting industries in these sensitive zones.
• The Western Ghats are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a global biodiversity hotspot.
• The earlier Madhav Gadgil Committee Report (2011) had proposed declaring the entire Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area, which faced strong opposition.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA): Regions notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, to regulate activities near protected areas and minimize adverse impacts.
• Western Ghats: A mountain range along India's western coast, renowned for its high biodiversity and endemic species.
• K. Kasturirangan High-Level Working Group: A committee that recommended 37% of the Western Ghats be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Area.
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: A central legislation providing for the protection and improvement of the environment in India.